The Wingz Corp
by Death-Scimitar
Summary: A faction known as Wingz Corp appears and things seem to heat up in competition. Who are these two bladers? And will BioVolt and Black Dranzer really emerge again? KaiOC, ReiOCrating may change. Before GRevolution and after VForce
1. Chapter 1

**A/N**: Well, here it is, the beginning of my BeyBlade story that I've been working on when I should've been writing more to my other stories... heh... Anyway, like the important notice on my User Profile says me and Strata-Assassin share ideas and this just happens to be one of those. Her BeyBlade story and mine both have the same concept (to a certain extent, like with the wings. You'll see what I mean if you read my story and hers) Anyway, I must say trying to describe bey battles is HARD! Ok, so this is enough for an author's rant at the beginning of the story, the rest of it will be at the end evil grin Oh and I don't own any of the characters in BeyBlade except for Amara (Michelle is owned by Strata-Assassin) and any other OC. Ok start story

A/N 2: This story was started over two years ago! The beginning chapters are not that great, especially my character descriptions (I still cn't do them that well) As you read, I hope you can see the difference from the earlier chapters to the later ones.

* * *

The Wingz Corp

"Damian! Use your head!" A female voice scolded. "You'll never be able to unify with Diablo if you don't attack with a straight mind!"

"Shut up!" The boy, Damian, shouted back. "I'll become the world's best blader! I will defeat that World Champion Tyson! No one will stop me! Diablo, _Unity_!

Damian stood before the girl, his teacher, who was wearing a cloak that covered every feature. He wore black armor outlined in red that clung to him tightly. Demon wings protruded from his back around the area of his shoulder blades.

There was a dish that separated the two and inside was two spinning blades. One blade was black with its attack ring red, the other was a black gray, that seemed to hold its own coldness, and its attack ring was a dark blue. They went at each other. Slamming into one another with unimaginable fervor, chipping and grinding away the attack rings as they glanced off each other.

Another girl entered the vicinity, also wearing a cloak that covered her features. Her fire bronze hair fell in front of her face and she absently brushed it back. She watched the battle with feign interest.

The teacher, a girl whose hair was also red but with a lighter touch, nodded at Damian's improvement. "Well, Damian, it seems you have finally mastered what we call the "Unity Blade". Welcome to the Wingz Corp. However, remember the only reason you made it was because of your determination and not of your skill. That is something we will work on…" Her blade, the black gray, seemed to recoil back, but it then charged forward, faster than Damian could comprehend.

He was on the ground, his blade at his side. The armor that was covering him was fast fading, and soon he was back in his normal clothes. He gazed up at his teacher with wide chocolate colored eyes that peered through his black bangs.

The teacher glanced over at the other girl with her icy blue eyes; eyes that chilled anyone to the bone who happen to gaze to long. She looked over at Damian as he slowly got back to his feet. "Leave us," She said and Damian was happy to oblige, leaving the two girls alone. "Well, Amara, what do you think? Will he last long?"

Amara finally met the teacher's icy blue eyes, her own were that of forest green that were just the opposite of the other girl's. They burned with a fire that showed there was something deeper, hidden beneath the surface. "No, he won't." She answered with a calm unlike any other. "Wingz Corp may be having trouble with finding bit beasts with the gift of wings and flight, Michelle. However, those who have no skill should not be allowed although they have the determination and the right bit beast."

"So, you believed I erred in allowing him to join?" Michelle asked.

"Not necessarily. I am not the only one who created this faction I did have help. So not all the authority is mine," Amara answered. "You have the right to choose who you want to let in and who is to be declined."

Michelle inclined her head and spoke; "Everyone seems to be setting their goals too low, wanting to defeat Tyson, the World Champion. They should realize first who are the strong and who are the weak."

"Indeed. But I wonder…" Amara trailed off.

"Wonder what, Amara?" Michelle asked intrigued by her friend's sudden train of thought.

"I was just wondering…Tyson's power increases tenfold when he needs it the most, when something is on the line. How much will it increase if he actually had real skill?"

Michelle thought, not quite getting Amara's point at first, but it came to her. "Good point. However, the ones that we might have to watch are Rei and Kai. Especially Kai, for he has a winged bit beast that may come in handy."

Amara's head snapped up and her eyes widened. She shook her head and blinked away the cloudiness of her vision.

Michelle looked on with worry at her friend. "What's wrong?'

"Black Dranzer…" Amara said softly. "There will be a traitor to the Wingz Corp. BioVolt will return and try to continue its conquest. Wingz will fall broken and mangled."

Michelle listened on with a look of shock on her face as she listened to her friend's premonition.

Amara looked back up at Michelle, her forest green eyes were different. They were no longer green, but an amber color. She tightly shut her eyes and shook her head. "We have to watch our backs…the traitor will show himself soon, and Biovolt will come to power." With that said, Amara walked past Michelle and exited the training area.

Michelle watched her leave, startled at Amara's sudden change. She shook her head and soon followed Amara out of the arena.

Two Weeks Later

"Tyson!" Hillary yelled in his ear, bending over his bedroll. "Wake up!"

"They only way to wake Tyson up is to put a red hot chili pepper in his mouth," Rei put in, his arms were crossed over his chest. Rei wore Chinese traditional outfit, his black hair was pulled back into a ponytail that went down past his knees, his bangs were kept out of his face by a headband that had the yin-yang symbol upon it.

"Would that really work?" Hillary asked, her hands on her hips. She wore her everyday clothes of a pink top and a skirt.

"It worked when we were at the tournaments in China," Max said with a smile as he thought about the old times, when Hillary was not around.

Kenny sighed, holding his laptop beneath his arm. "He's going to be late if he doesn't get up. He promised that he would be at the opening of the Beyblading season." He sat down and opened his computer.

"No kiddin'," A voice from the computer responded, it was Dizzi. Dizzi was a bit beast that got trapped into Kenny's computer instead of a blade. "Then again, when was Tyson ever on time?"

"When it was lunch time." Max said sarcastically.

Tyson bolted up straight and glanced at everyone. "Did someone say lunch?"

Hillary clenched her fist and smacked Tyson in the back of the head.

"What was that for?" Tyson complained as he rubbed the back of his head.

"That was for you for being such an idiot!" Hillary scolded. She stormed out of the room, leaving Tyson and the others.

"Score, Hillary: one, Tyson: zip," Dizzi commented, always having to put in her quirks.

They walked out of the room, leaving Tyson alone so he could get changed. Pulling on his opened fingered gloves; Tyson looked over at his blade. _Dragoon…_ he thought, _This is the start of our third year of beyblading. We've been through so much…battling Lee of the _White Tigers _Michael of the _All-Starz_, Robert of the _Majestics_, and Tala of the _Demolition Boys_, and Zio._ _I wonder what this season will hold for us._ Tyson picked up Dragoon and walked out of his room.

"Took you long enough," Hillary said haughtily.

"Can't be as long as you take putting on that horrific mask. Wait, that's not a mask, that's your face," Tyson countered and he wisely ran off, heading for the front door before Hillary could get to him.

"Score, Hillary: one, Tyson: one." Dizzi said.

"Dizzi…" Kenny said exasperated.

The others watched Hillary chase after Tyson and sighed.

Max spoke up, breaking the silence. "Has anyone seen Kai?"

"He left early this morning," Rei answered. "Probably out practicing, which wouldn't surprise me."

"He seems to be distancing himself again," Max remarked.

Rei just nodded his consent and winced slightly when he heard Tyson yell.

They continued on their way catching up to the bleeding Tyson and Hillary. Dizzi put in another commentary of the score, and they headed to the BBA headquarters.

* * *

In one of the parks, a solitary figure practiced. 

"3,2,1…Let it rip!" Kai yelled as he ripped back the launcher that sent his blade, a dark blue with what look like fire designs on the attack ring called Dranzer, spinning. Dranzer slammed into a nearby rock, decimating it. Taking a sharp turn, it continued its course, grinding along the trunks of the trees until another blade knocked it from its course. Kai caught his blade and glanced at the intruder.

The blade was ebony black, not markings whatsoever to distinguish its different rings while it was spinning.

"Not bad," A female voice commented behind him.

Kai replied with a scoff.

"Kai, the Phoenix Wing. Hmm…Has a nice ring to it…" A girl wearing a cloak walked past Kai and turned back to face him, her forest green eyes were burning into his own dark gray.

"Who are you?" Kai asked.

She brushed back her fire bronze hair from her face and bowed. "Amara, the Death Wing, of Wingz Corp."

"Wingz Corp?" Kai questioned aloud.

"Yes, Wingz Corp. Few have heard of it, for there are only a few that qualify," She replied.

"Let me guess, I'm one of the few who qualify, right?" Kai asked scornfully.

"Yes, you do qualify. You have the skill, determination, and the right bit beast. I would've recruited you at this very moment, but I realized that it isn't the right time."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean that if you join with us, it will trigger events to happen sooner rather then later. Mass chaos will erupt." She shrugged. "Not that I don't like the twists that chaos always holds. But the BladeBreakers will have to face an enemy that they are not yet ready for."

"What enemy?" Kai demanded to know.

"An enemy that you've faced once before. In fact, you were once allies with this enemy." Amara stated calmly.

"Allies?" Kai thought aloud to himself. When he glanced back up, he saw that Amara had her blade ready to launch.

"Let us see if you are anywhere near ready to face this adversary."

Kai locked Dranzer in place and he too stood ready to launch.

"3!" Amara started the count, as was tradition.

"2!" Kai returned.

"1! Let it rip!" They shouted together, releasing their blades at the exact same moment.

"Go Dranzer!" Kai yelled and his blade charged forward toward Amara's black one.

Amara just smirked; she swung out her arm, issuing a silent command. Her blade headed toward the trees that were nearby. The shadows of the trees seemed to reach out to her blade making it disappear in the abyss of the shade.

"Dranzer!" Kai yelled. A light shot from the center of the blade. Out of the light a phoenix emerged, fire surrounding it.

Amara looked up at the bit beast and smirked.

Dranzer's fire created a light that pierced through the shadows revealing Amara's blade. "Flame Arrow!" Kai yelled. His blade was engulfed in fire as Dranzer charged at forward.

Amara's blade what reeling back, but Amara's expression showed that more was to come. "Kai, you can already figure out that the Wingz Corp is made up of those with bit beasts that have wings. However, there is a power that my friend and I have come up with. A joining of wings as some of the new recruits call it. Let me show what that power is! Tiamat!" Amara yelled, a beam of shadow shot from her blade and emerging from the shadow was a dragon bit beast. The dragon was ebony black but the plating covering its chest was trimmed in an amber gold color.

"So, you have a bit beast also?" Kai taunted. "Impressive, but not that impressive."

Amara just chuckled. "You'll see."

Tiamat charged forward knocking Dranzer back; the blades beneath were mimicking their movements. Tiamat retreated, as did Amara. She balanced herself, placing one foot in front of her, a smirked curling up her lips.

Dranzer regained its bearings and Kai looked back up at Amara.

"Tiamat! Unity Blade!" Amara shouted.

Kai was thrown back by the power surge. He could not see a thing, for darkness had engulfed him.

In a split second, he saw his blade slowing, but he could not see the outcome. He did not need to see to know what happened; Dranzer was defeated. Kai glanced back up where Amara had last been. He glimpsed a flicker of amber gold and Amara's outline. However, something seemed diverse with her silhouette, he could not tell if it was just the shadows playing tricks on him or if Amara really had wings.

"You definitely aren't ready…"Amara's voice broke through the shadows.

"Ready for what?" Kai asked wanting to get a straight answer from her.

"You'll find out…The finals of the country tournament in two weeks time. You'll see…"

The darkness that surrounded Kai dispersed. He glanced around looking for any sign of Amara. Kai walked over and picked up his blade, Dranzer. He looked at the engraving of a phoenix on the centerpiece of his blade, his hand tightened around the blade.

Kai pocketed Dranzer and headed for the BBA center, knowing that he should have been there already.

* * *

At Wingz Corp, the training of the new recruits did not let up. They were pushed to their very limits and beyond, to reach "Perfect Unity", that is when the unity of a person and their bit beast reaches to a point where even emotions and pain are shared. Power, strength, agility, speed and stamina is increased to an unimaginable level. However, "Prefect Unity" is also a danger, even the creators of _Unity_ have yet to achieve it. It takes the life essence of both blader and beast; any damage inflicted to the bit beast will also be inflicted upon the blader, which, in theory, can result in death. 

At the end of the training, Michelle pulled Damian, a blader who was only recruited two weeks before, over to talk.

"I'm impressed at your increase of skill, Damian. You have surpassed the others at remarkable pace. Amara would have like to have been here to say this, but, unfortunately, she is not. Well, welcome to the 1st Division of Wingz, Damian, Demon Wing." Michelle congratulated.

Damian was in shock. "You mean I reached your skill level? I-I mean-"

Michelle cut him short: "Yes, you've reached our division, but you must remember that you've just entered this skill level, you will still be consider a beginner…but a good one."

Damian bowed out of courtesy. "Thank you so very much!"

Michelle watched Damian run off, she let out a slight sigh.

"Something bothering you?" A voice, from behind, asked her.

"There is something that seems strange about him, Amara," Michelle answered and turned to face her friend.

Amara looked back to the door where Damian had walked out. She shook her head lightly. "I also feel that something is wrong, but I can't put my finger on it…"

"Like your premonition two weeks back?" Michelle inquired.

Amara opened her mouth to say something, but changed her mind soon after. However she did reply, "What I said two weeks ago still stands. There will be a traitor, but we cannot accuse anyone anymore, things are already in motion. Nothing can stop the wheels of fate from turning their full cycle now."

"Since when did you believe in fate?" Michelle interrogated.

"When I found out-" Amara stopped herself and walked briskly past Michelle without another word.

Michelle was confused by her friend's actions. "What are you hiding?" Michelle questioned aloud. She shook her head and glanced down at her blade. "Maybe, Bahamut, she'll tell us before it ends up hurting her."

* * *

"Kai! Where were ya?" Tyson asked when Kai entered the office of Mr. Dickinson in the BBA Headquarters. 

"Kai, you were s'pose to be here twenty minutes ago!" Hillary said.

Kai did not reply he just walked over to the closest chair and sat down with out a word. _What was that girl, Amara, talking about? What will happen at the finals of this year's country tournament? _Kai's thoughts were interrupted when an older man walked into the room. The man was balding and was slightly large around the middle. He wore a suit that gave him the look of a businessman.

"Hello, Mr. Dickinson," Kenny was the first to greet the man.

"Hello, Kenny. How have you been?" Mr. Dickinson asked.

"I've been fine." Kenny replied.

"Considering you spent the last few nights upgrading everyone's blades," Dizzi put in with a yawn. "A girl needs her sleep."

"Sorry, Dizzi," Was all Kenny could say.

"Are the BladeBreakers ready for this year?" Mr. Dickinson inquired. "The bladers this year seem more determined and more powerful then last year."

"I hope so!" Tyson exclaimed. "I want a challenge!"

"Tyson, you should take this more seriously if you want to hold your spot as World Champion," Rei stated.

"I agree with Rei. Things get tougher every year, we'll have to stay in tip-top condition if we want to stick it out this year," Max confirmed.

"We already have a group that we should watch out for," Kai said unexpectedly.

"What!" Hillary blurted out.

"C'mon, Kai, tell us what's up!" Tyson tried to reason, but to no avail.

"Is that why you were late, Kai? 'Cause someone from this team came to you?" Rei asked. Kai just inclined his head in response.

"Give me some info, man! Do you know how strong he is?" Tyson kept on pressing the matter.

Kai stood up, walked towards the door, and opened it, but before exiting he said, "The blader's a she." He then left.

Tyson blinked a few times. "A girl?"

"Well it sounds to me that Kai is a little disturbed by this blader." Max said. "So I guess we should worry."

Rei nodded his consent.

Mr. Dickinson looked to all of them. "The opening of the season is about to start. We need to go to the arena for the opening ceremonies."

"Right!" Tyson said enthused and Max right by his side. Rei just stood there smirking.

They headed out of the door to the arena where the tournament was to be held.

* * *

At Wingz Corp, the top level of bladers held a meeting about the tournament. 

"The teams this year will each consist of two bladers, like last year. But we can only afford to send two pairs of bladers." Michelle said.

Damian sat at the council permitted to hear out the decision of who was going to participate in the tournament. This was a rare circumstance for a beginner in the 1st Division to attend to the council.

Amara's forest green pools looked into the faces of each member of the Wingz Corp's council. There were five bladers in the council, not counting Damian.

"Amara, who do you think we should send?" asked Reno the Hell Wing. His hair was bright red, like fire, but it wasn't close to the fire bronze of Amara or Michelle's light red brown.

Amara did not reply at first. "Michelle and I are going. If that is agreeable to everyone in the council."

The council murmured their agreement.

Ari, Angel Wing spoke up, her voice was soft and light, which would put anyone off guard when they met her at the dish. "Who will be the second group, Amara?"

"Well, if the council agrees I would like to see Damian blade on the second team" Amara turned to look at Damian who recoiled under the intense gaze of her eyes.

"But who will be the second?" Ari asked, brushing back a piece of her long honey colored hair.

"I, Haru, the Metal Wing will be the second." Haru stood up. He had platinum blond hair mixed with black and gray eyes that had the look of cold steel. He wore black jeans with a chain around his waist and a baggy black shirt.

"Does the council agree to the teams?" Michelle asked.

Again, the council murmured their agreement.

"But what about registration?" Reno asked. "Aren't we a little late to sign up for the tournament?"

"Already been taken care of," Was Amara's reply. She stood up and with a nod of dismissal left the room.

Reno looked confused. "Already taken care of? But how would she know of the teams?"

Michelle shrugged. "Amara will be Amara. However, we have no time to discuss this, we must hurry to the preliminaries before they start. Haru, Damian, lets get going."

They walked out after Amara and headed to the BBA headquarters where the tournament was being held.

"Things are already in motion and nothing can stop them. Amara said something like that before." Reno said. "I guess we'll have to see this to the end."

Ari and the rest of the council nodded and Ari added one more thing before they departed. "Let us hope that this end will be for the good."

* * *

"Whoa! Look at all the bladers that showed up!" Tyson exclaimed, leaning forward on the railing of the mezzanine. 

The base level of the arena was filled with bladers hoping to get a chance to continue onto the next round of the World Tournaments that will be taken place in different countries of the world. The World Championship will then return to take place in Japan.

Rei looked around and spotted Kai further away, leaning up against the wall gazing down at the group of bladers. He walked over to him and stood next to him. "Hoping to see that blader here?" Rei asked.

Kai did not reply.

Rei looked at his comrade. "Okay, so what's up? I mean, do you know anything about this blader? Like, what team is she on, so we can check if she is actually gonna be here."

Kai turned to look at Rei. "This girl belongs to a faction know as Wingz Corp. A group of bladers that all have bit beast with one common trait of wings."

"Wingz Corp. Hmm…I think I saw that team on the preliminaries list. There are two pairs of bladers entering from that team." Rei replied.

Kai straightened and left the mezzanine, Rei decided to follow. The two of them brushed past Hillary.

"Hey! Where are you two going?" She asked but did not receive any reply. She clenched her fist in frustration and walked over to stand next to Tyson and Max. She looked down at the stadium, watching the bladers who wanted to make it into the next round.

"Where's Kenny?" Max asked.

"He's with Mr. Dickinson, helping him with last minute glitches," Hillary replied.

"I can't wait to battle these newbies!" Tyson said as he stretched. "I'm gonna become the World Champion all over again."

"Don't get ahead of yourself Tyson," Max warned.

"We're already in the World Championship," Tyson stated.

"However, we still have to make it to all the different country tournaments. They are at the same places they were two years ago; China, America, Europe, and Russia," Max said, counting them off on his fingers. "More or less we get to see the competition that we'll end up facing when we return here."

"Don't worry," Tyson patted Max on the shoulder, "Its gonna be a breeze."

Hillary came up and slapped him. "You should at least take this seriously!"

"Me? Take things seriously? Yeah right!" Tyson retorted.

"Tyson!" Hillary yelled as Tyson bolted off. She was soon to follow. Max just stood there for a moment before he decided to catch up with them before Hillary puts Tyson in the hospital.

* * *

Kai and Rei reached the base level. All around them were bladers battling each other in small battle dishes in order to make it to the next round. The two walked over to the registry a glanced through the team names. Under Wingz Corp, they found two teams. Their names were listed as 'Amara Hirokami and Michelle Katsumonu' and 'Haru Sohma and Damian Darcyn'. 

"Which one is the blader you met? Or don't you know the name?" Rei asked.

"'Amara Hirokami', she is the one…" Kai confirmed.

"I wonder who this 'Michelle Katsumonu' is," Rei said idly.

Kai looked around the base level; it was getting less and less crowded. Only ten teams of two were allowed to pass into the next round, not counting the two teams from the BladeBreakers. He saw glint of red hair, the crowd shifted more and there he saw Amara. She was still wearing her trademark cloak about her shoulders. Next to her was another girl, her hair was also red but it held a lighter touch, she, too, wore a cloak. The two almost looked like twins at first glance, but when given more time, one could tell the Amara was slightly taller then the one known as Michelle, and her hair was also a darker red.

Rei followed Kai's line of gaze until he, too, saw the two. "Which one is Amara?" He asked.

Amara's head turn to face them, even at the distance, one could make out her intense green eyes. Her orbs fell directly on them and held them for a moment.

"Her," Kai said.

Michelle saw that Amara was distracted and she looked over. Rei nearly doubled over, and he quickly turned away, unable to hold the gaze of the two of them. One's fiery green eyes burned while the other's icy blue seemed to freeze. The two of them moved out of sight.

Rei turned to catch his breath. "How can anyone stand up to their gaze?" He asked aloud.

"Not many," Kai said.

Rei looked up at Kai. "You're not telling me everything, are you? There's something you know."

"You wouldn't believe me even if I told you. You'll just have to see for yourself." Kai answered.

"That isn't any help." Rei said, indignantly.

"We'll just have to see tomorrow. When the real tournaments begin." Kai replied and walked towards the exit of the base level.

Rei glanced around once more to try to catch a glimpse of Amara and Michelle again, but he soon ended up following Kai out.

* * *

"The preliminaries are over for us," Amara said. 

"Haru and Damian also made it, which isn't surprising." Michelle stated.

"Things will all be revealed,"

"More premonitions?" Michelle asked.

"Just stating facts," Amara replied with a slight smirk.

Michelle returned the smirk. "Rei and Kai better be ready."

Amara nodded. "Same to Max. However, Tyson will stand no chance."

"True enough. Although, he deserves a small wish of good luck, for standing his ground this far," Michelle reasoned.

Amara chuckled under her breath. "There is nothing else to see here. Tomorrow, things will begin, and the whole world had better be ready…" She clenched her hand in a fist. "'Less it wishes to fall into darkness."

* * *

wOOt! Okay, really hyper now that this part is over. If anyone gets confused on how Im doing the tournaments and the World Championship don't worry, so am I. I'm just writing as I go and things seem to be tying together as I continue to write, it all makes sense in my ownmind. Anyway drop a review if you like and if you hated it why are you still here? 

You may have notice that I have a Fruits Basket character! Haru Sohma! He really wasn't s'pose to be here I just used his name until I came up with a different one, but it seems that it stuck and the character does match him, so he's staying! Oh! One more thing before I get ahead of myself... I hate Hillary!

Hillary: Hey! That isn't nice!

DeathScimitar: I am the author and I banish you.

Hillary: gone

DeathScimitar: Okay, hopefully you'll continue you reading and hopefully I'll continue writing. Have questions, remarks, comments, corrections,"i hate this story" notes? Go ahead and put them up in a review and I'll be sure to mention something in the next part!


	2. Chapter 2

Next Day- Tournaments Round 1

"Welcome one and all to the start of the Beyblade tournaments! This is Brad Best along with A.J. Topper here to give all the exciting matches that have planned out here by the BBA. The BBA wishes you all have a great and exciting time here. Only six of the twelve teams will be competing today in the first rounds, tomorrow will be the other six. For the times of each battle, note the standings. Our first match today, which will begin in another 40 minutes at exactly 10 o'clock, is between Wingz Corp team number 1, Amara Hirokami and Michelle Katsumonu verses the Exiles, Blair Walker and Anthony Fissure!"

Amara and Michelle sat in their locker room, preparing for their match. Amara shook her head slightly as she listened to the announcer, pulling on her opened-finger gloves; the gloves were black traced with gold edgings. Looking up at Michelle she asked, "Do you want to go first or should I?"

Michelle thought for a moment. "I think I will. It'd be fun opening the season with a bang," She said with a grin on her face.

Amara chuckle slightly. "Do what you want."

"Same to you, Amara, just don't kill anyone," Michelle teased.

"Aww c'mon, don't take away all my fun." Amara responded with a mock whine.

"We'll see," Was Michelle's reply. _We will see, Amara, we will see what you are hiding from us. _Michelle thought _I wish you'd just tell me what's wrong instead of hiding it like this… _Michelle sighed.

"Ready, Michelle?" Amara asked picking up her blade.

Michelle nodded and gripped Bahamut tighter as she followed Amara out to the arena.

* * *

"Welcome all to the first match and the start of the season!" The referee said. "Our first team is team one of the Wingz Corp, Amara Hirokami and Michelle Katsumonu!" 

Amara and Michelle walked over toward the dish; they both still wore their traditional cloaks. Michelle walked past Amara and right up to the launch pad of the dish, waiting for her opponent.

"It looks Michelle will be the first to blade from this team. Here come the Exiles!"  
Two boys walked towards them. One wore a leather jacket with denim jeans; he had dark brown hair that was mostly hidden by a bandana. The other had baggy jeans with holes in the knees and a plain dark blue tank top, he had a strip of blue cloth tied around his right biceps, and his hair was a sandy color. The one with the leather jacket took his place on the other launch pad.

"And it seems that Michelle's opponent will be Anthony Fissure!"

"I can't believe I have to face a girl. This is gonna be way too easy." Anthony complained to his teammate, Blair.

"Hey, at least yours looks like a little bit of a challenge," Blair replied.

"Watch your words," Michelle warned.

"You just might regret it," Amara finished for her.

Michelle looked back at her friend; her eyes then widened in shock. A black aura surrounded Amara that plainly could be seen by all, her hair and cloak seemed to be caught in a wind as they whipped about her. A smirk curled up Amara's lips as she watched the expressions on the Exiles' faces change from confidence to horror.

* * *

From their seats, the BladeBreakers watched in awe and amazement at the spectacle before them. 

"I have a feeling these two are gonna be one of the tough ones to beat," Max said.

"C'mon you guys, they're just trying to deceive us, getting us all worried by putting on a cheap show," Tyson reasoned.

"You are wrong, Tyson," Rei said. "This isn't some trick, that's only a fraction of this Amara's power, I can sense it."

"C'mon, Rei, you-" Tyson stopped short when he saw the look on Rei's face. He turned back to the two, as if seeing for the first time the true extent of their power.

* * *

The referee was at a loss for words, watching what was unfolding before him. 

"Amara, enough." Michelle stated as calmly as she could.

The invisible wind that was surrounding Amara died down and the black aura dispersed, but there was still something about her that was different. She turned to face Michelle, her eyes were now amber, and the smirk remained. Looking over to the referee, she told him, "Well, what are you waiting for? Start the match already."

"R-right. All right, the start of the beyblading season! Opponents ready? 3, 2, 1, let it rip!"

Without even so much of a thought, Michelle launched her blade into the dish; it was more of a reflex when the ref had said, "let it rip." Anthony launched his a split second later.

Anthony's blade was a red and green mesh; its attack ring was quite an elaborate design although it was more for show. The blades on the ring were long and curved, but with them like that, it didn't leave much room for a good defensive ring.

All thoughts had left Michelle; to her no one was there, it was just her and her blade. A mind link between her and her bit beast was formed. _Bahamut, how 'bout we have a little fun and use 'Unity'? _

_It is your choice, _came the mental response.

"Alright!" Michelle said out loud and pointed at Anthony "Just because this is the first match of the season, I want it to be a good show for the audience. So, guess what?"

Anthony looked up and scowled at her. "What?"

"This match is over," A smirk curled up Michelle's thin lips. "Bahamut!" A light shot forth from her blade, black wings stretched forth from the light and a dragon emerged. Its form was covered in black plating out-lined in steel blue and silver, and peering from its lizard-like head, icy blue eyes to match its master. Michelle swung her arm out forward, shouting, "Unity Blade!" Wings to match Bahamut unfolded from her back, her cloak disappearing to be replaced by armor. The breastplate was supple and light, adorned with what look like the scales of her dragon bit beast. The supple armor covered her legs and boots were fitted over.

The arena was quiet, they all looked on with amazement but also fear, even the referee, and announcers were quiet. Amara stood by, watching with her amber eyes, taking all that was happening, a hint of a smile lingering on her lips.

Anthony stumbled back and fell on his buttocks gazing at Michelle in horror. Michelle just looked down into the dish and whispered a command, her blade disappeared and Anthony's blade shattered into dust.

Bahamut leaned his over to Michelle and she reached up patted his head before dismissing him back into the blade. The armor that Michelle was adorning dissolved and was replaced by her cloak. She stepped down from the launch pad not even waiting for the ref to give the official declaration. Her blade shot out from the dish and into Michelle's waiting hand.

The referee finally found his voice again. "A-and the winner is Michelle!"

The crowd was quiet, however, as a delayed reaction they burst into cheers, chanting Michelle's name.

"What a way to start off the season," A.J. said.

Brad agreed, "It seems that this team might be the one to watch out for in the finals, and more then likely the other team from Wingz Corp."

"So that's one win for Team 1 from Wingz Corp. Now, what will we witness from Michelle Katsumonu's counterpart, Amara Hirokami? I hope to see another power display like the one before the match started."

"I'm with you on that one," commented A.J.

Amara confidently strode over to the launch pad waiting for her opponent, Blair. He came up more slowly, fear reflected in his eyes. Amara glanced over at Michelle and spoke, "Now its my turn to have a little fun." An uncharacteristic smirk played across her face, as she turned back to the dish, readying to launch.

Blair steadied himself and waited for the referee to issue the start.

"Let it rip!" was the last thing everyone heard in the stadium.

* * *

"What the-?" Tyson glanced tried around, but to no avail, he could not move. He was still sitting in his sit and he could feel Max next to him, but he could not see. Gazing in the direction where he last remembered the dish being he saw a flash of silver, there was the sounding of shattering glass that echoed through the darken place. Light flooded from the center of the dish and expanded bringing everything back into view. 

Looming over the dish was a dragon of ebony black, embellished with amber gold, its wings stretched out, silted amber eyes gazing about. Next to the dragon was Amara, no longer wearing her cloak. Her armor was the ebony scales of the dragon, much to the style of Michelle's armor, with wings to match.

Blair stared up at Amara in horror, not even bothering to look down into the bowl to see what the inevitable outcome was. His blade was shattered, pieces of it spread across the dish, Amara's black blade was weaving in and out of the debris before returning to her waiting hand.

Amara walked away, still in the armor and the dragon, Tiamat, following. She walked past Michelle and back to the exit that lead to the lockers. Tiamat, along with the armor, dissolved as she disappeared from view.

"That's it, folks! The winners of the opening match are Michelle and Amara of Wingz Corp." The referee said after a moment of silence had past. The crowd broke out in cheers, although a lot of them were still dazed after what had just happened.

Michelle ran off after Amara, the voices of the audience fading as she went farther into the lockers. Finding Amara already packing her stuff, Michelle grabbed her by the collar of her cloak. "Amara, what is going on?" she demanded, forcing Amara to face her.

Amara did look at Michelle, her eyes now back to forest green, but she did not answer.

"Damnit, Amara!"

"Michelle, enough," Amara finally spoke, her words were quiet but they held an air of authority and a command in them.

Michelle reluctantly let go of Amara's collar. "Amara, please tell me what's going on. I know you're hiding something from me."

A hint of a smirk found its way to Amara's lips. "I am hiding something from you, but…" The smirk faded, "just give me some time to sort it out."

A sigh escaped Michelle. "Alright, but promise me you'll tell when you do figure it out."

Amara inclined her head. "I promise." With that said, Amara turned and left, leaving Michelle alone in the lockers.

* * *

"What a battle!" Brad said, "I still can't believe just the amount of power packed behind those two bladers from Wingz Corp. While we're waiting for the next match to begin, let's run the highlights of the pervious match." 

A rerun of the battle flicked on the big screen that could be seen from every angle of the stadium. "Now, this match started off in Wingz Corp's favor after the announcement of the teams, after that show of power from Amara I think that the Exiles were caught off guard for the rest of the match." A.J. elucidated.

The next clipped showed Michelle launching her blade into the dish. "I don't know whether there was a malfunction in the system but either the RPMs of Michelle's was extremely high that the reader couldn't pick it up or if there was a glitch. Not only for Michelle, but Amara as well." Brad explained.

"I don't think there was anything wrong with the reader," A.J. remarked. "But that's just my opinion."

"And we know that your opinion doesn't count that much," Brad joked.

A.J. just laughed, "Sure, Brad, sure."

"Looks like the officials are ready for the next match," Brad commented.

"Welcome to the second match of three for this day!" The referee said, his voice echoing all about the stadium. "Let's welcome our two teams! We have Henry Vasq and Kelvin Cane from the Lone Runners versus Marty Rain and Vincent Gail of the X-Factors!"

* * *

Kai stood up from his seat and left the group, after Amara and Michelle's match was over. "It doesn't matter who wins this match," he stated, before any of them could ask where he was going. "It's already confirmed that we're going to be meeting Amara and Michelle in the finals." 

They looked back and watched Kai leave the stadium, turning back to each other they nodded and stood up, making their way to the exit.

"Hey, guys, what about the other team from Wingz Corp, aren't we going to watch their match as well?" Max asked.

"Nah," Tyson said.

"You two should," Rei declared. "You would want to know what they are capable of since the winners of their battle you will end up facing in the second round."

"If you two make it to the second round," Kenny put in.

"Aww, c'mon Chief, that hurt. You really don't think that me and Max won't make it to the second round?" Tyson inquired.

"After seeing the first match I think anything is possible, that includes you not making it to the next round. Every year more bladers come, even stronger than the ones before. Wouldn't you think that bladers like Amara and Michelle would have shown up in the other tournaments? But, this is the first time we have ever even heard of the faction "Wingz Corp". Competition will just keep on getting harder and harder and if you underestimate your opponents you'll find yourself in the loser's bracket." Kenny explained to them as they exited the stadium and entered the main hall.

"I'm the World Champion, you guys!" Tyson exclaimed, thinking that that explained all.

"Tyson, you don't get it. Your flippant attitude is what will cost you that title." Rei admonished.

"Rei's right, Tyson," Max concluded.

Tyson was quieted by their words; however, his silence didn't last long, more like the silence of his stomach. "Man I'm starving! Let's go get something to eat!" Tyson bolted off.

Max chuckled. "Well, I guess we couldn't expect less. Come on, let's follow him before he cleans out the cafeteria."

"Yeah, but I just wished he would take this more seriously." Kenny sighed and followed Max. He looked back over his shoulder at Rei. "Aren't you coming?"

"You guys go ahead, I need to do something." Rei answered and turned the opposite direction.

* * *

Tyson stopped running and continued the rest of the way to the food court in a walk. _It is strange… With the power like Amara and Michelle possessed we should at least heard something about them before. Were they just hiding in the shadows the past years perfecting their techniques or… _Tyson's thought trailed off at that. _I do take this seriously; I just don't want it to get me, that's all. I'll find a way to beat them. Amara, Michelle, you better watch out. _A smirk curled up his mouth as he returned to his pervious sprint and made his way to the food court.

* * *

Rei walked the hallway that branched off to the different locker rooms of each team. He could hear the referee declare the X-Factors the winners. _The X-Factors will be facing Amara and Michelle next. _He lethargic walk clearly showing that he was in deep contemplation. 

He walked passed one of the rooms; the door was slightly ajar. He stopped and turned back to the unclosed door. Tentatively, he placed his hand upon the door and slowly pushed it opened. Sitting on one of the benches, was a girl with hair of red brown that covered her face, draped in a cloak.

"Michelle?" Rei asked.

Michelle straightened and looked over at Rei, icy blue eyes seemingly colder than ever. "What are you doing here?"

"Your door was opened and I-"

Michelle cut him off with an upraised hand. She stood up, turning to face him. The two just stood there, neither daring to talk. Hours seemed to pass, but in reality, only a few minutes had gone by.

Rei finally spoke, "Your technique, 'Unity Blade', how does it work?"

Michelle did not answer right away; it was almost as if she was deciding whether or not she should tell him.

"If you can't tell me I can understand," Rei added hastily.

"No, its not that, its just I don't know how to explain it…"

"The last match of today is about to begin!" A.J. said and a loud cheer was heard.

"Our last two competitors are Mike Fleet and Jeremy Seave of the Wildcats and Haru Sohma and Damian Darcyn the second team from Wingz Corp!"

"Sounds like your friends' battle is about to start. You going to go watch them?" Rei asked, changing the subject seeing that Michelle really didn't want to talk about it.

"No, I already know they're going to win, the match will be over in a few minutes." Michelle said callously. Again, silence came over the two, leaving them in an abyss of absolute quiet.

"I don't know what Amara is planning to do, or what she knows, but something bad is going to happen… I wish she would just tell me…" Michelle's hands tightened into fists.

"What do you mean by 'something bad is going to happened'?" Rei asked, now concerned.

Michelle looked slightly aghast that she had said that aloud. Nevertheless, she shook it off and decided to continue. "A few weeks back, Amara started to act different, it wasn't so noticeable at first, but it just seem to worsen as days went by. She had this strange premonition she said that Black Dranzer will return and there will be a traitor to Wingz Corp."

"Black Dranzer!" Rei vociferated.

"She said that the traitor will appear during the finals, maybe even before… Your first World Championship, the faction known as BioVolt that you fought against, they've come back."

Rei, stunned by the news that Michelle had just given to him, spoke in slow terms. "Why are you telling me this?"

Michelle let out a chuckle, though it sounded real, the look in her icy eyes revealed that there was no levity in it. "Because, I have no one else to tell."

* * *

Kai watched the match between the second team of Wingz Corp and the Wildcats from the mezzanine. Both battles were over in less than five minutes. He also noted that neither blader of the Wingz Corp team pulled out their bit beast. 

"Haru and Damian are quite strong, however, they still need more training." A voice from behind him validated.

Kai did not reply. He stood there, leaning against the rail, watching the people exiting the stadium, now that the day's excitement was over. As if muted, Brad and A.J.'s voices sounded in the background, barely coherent, telling everyone to come back again tomorrow for more great battles.

Amara emerged next to him, also watching the people.

Now that she was closer to him, Kai could no longer make out the words the two announcers were saying. Their voices were mingled and distorted. Even the noised of the crowd was hushed. _Her energy is distorting the sounds._

"Quite a boring match though," She annotated.

"What is it you want?" Kai asked.

"To reiterate what I told you two weeks back," Amara said bluntly. "Or have you already forgotten?"

"No, I haven't forgotten." Kai retorted. The distortion was gone and every sound came back, no longer muted. Kai finally looked over at Amara; her arms were out of the folds of her and cloak. She crossed and placed them on the rail while her chin rested upon them.

"There is nothing I can do…" Amara said delicately, staring over the stadium. "I am powerless to stopped was has been set in motion… I hate this."

Kai noted her forest green eyes were empty, placid. They reflected back no light, retaining a dull look. "What has been set in motion?" he inquired.

She did not answer. Finally, she did say, "Something that I can't stop."

Kai scoffed. "You don't know that."

Amara straightened and turned to face him, eyes narrowed in a glare, however, she had no reply. The distortion had returned affecting the noise that was already starting to die.

Kai just glowered. Their eyes locked, either out of anger or annoyance, both continued the more or less test of will.

Amara ended up being the first to turn away. Kai could just barely make out the black aura that surrounded her, displaying her frustration and anger.

"I don't get you." He stated harshly. "You're either selfish or just afraid."

"What about you?" She asked. "Aren't you the one who's either selfish or afraid? You're afraid of working with the rest of your team or you just think you're too good for them, a result of selfishness."

"You just described yourself." Kai countered.

"I don't have time for your bull!" She retorted.

"Then why did you even come here?"

Amara fell hushed, her voice barely a whisper, "I don't know…"

Kai was taken aback by her sudden change of character.

Before another word was said, another voice echoed about. "Kai!" It was unmistakably Tyson's voice. It came from the stairs that lead up to the mezzanine.

Kai glanced over in that direction before turning back to Amara, to find that she wasn't there any longer. His eyes scanned about, looking for a sign where she had gone.

"Kai, there you are. We have to get going and we also need to find Rei." Tyson was explaining.

Kai took once more glance about the area before walking past Tyson and heading down the stairs to the main level. Tyson was a few seconds behind him.

* * *

Amara slowly exhaled and walked out of the shadows that hid her. _What's wrong with me? _Reaching into her pocket, she pulled out her blade, gazing at it. _Tiamat, can you give me an answer?_

_No, _Tiamat replied.

_Changes are happening to fast. I can't keep up, the _Unity_ we have, I can feel it crumbling. Yet, we have to stay in _Unity

_We must grow stronger then. Our spirits are already connected but they are not yet one. We are so close to achieving _Perfect UnityTiamat stated.

_Now that we are so close, another has come. The manifestation of my own angers and sorrows keeps us apart. It is ruining my- our life. _Amara responded. _Moreover, I fear that it will also ruin Michelle's as well._

_You have promised to tell her, promised to tell her why you have been acting strangely and harshly. Yet, you haven't._

_I know, Tiamat, I know. I just can't, she wouldn't understand._

_You don't know that._

Amara tensed at those words. They were the same words that Kai had told her. _Our _Unity _right now is the only thing that is keeping my other self at bay. Everyday that part of me grows stronger and we fall weaker. Even with the smallest hint of emotion, it appears. I fear, Tiamat, that that side of me will end up hurting you._

_I am your Guardian; I have chosen you and only you, Amara. You must also see that the other part of you is still you, and I know you will never hurt me._

_Tiamat, thank you._

* * *

Rei and Michelle were sitting next to each other, in silence, on the bench in the locker room. Rei could not help but glance at Michelle from the corner of his eye. He had come to realize that Michelle wasn't evil, although her actions might have suggested otherwise. 

"Everyone's probably already left the stadium," Michelle said idly.

"Yeah, more than likely," Rei replied.

"When is your match?"

"It's the last one tomorrow,"

"I guess I'll have to make sure I won't miss it," Michelle said casually. "But I don't see why the BladeBreakers have to compete in the different countries' tournaments when they're already qualified in World Championship."

Rei shrugged. "I don't know either. But I guess it would help us to get to know our competition."

Silence yet again.

Michelle chuckled slightly. "I guess conversations really aren't our thing. We can't keep a topic going for five minutes without it dying."

Rei echoed her laugh.

Michelle stood up and looked over her shoulder back at Rei. "Thanks,"

"Thanks for what?" Rei asked, confused.

Michelle just smiled a genuine smile that hid no cryptic meanings behind it. She walked towards the door with a slight glance back at him she left.

Rei was still perplexed after she had left, but he had found out there was more behind the bladers from Wingz Corp. He glanced up at the clock, it read 3:30 PM. _Whoa, didn't know that much time had passed. Hope the others aren't worried. _Rei stood and stretched. He strolled over to the door and exited. Walking back down the hallway, he could not help but feel that someone was watching him. He kept his composure but his guard up and he made his way back to the main hall.

* * *

Another part uploaded…. Phew. Sorry about the first part my dividers didn't show up to when the story moves to a different place and such, I've been trying to fix that… I'll say this again; writing bey battles are a pain in the ass! Hoped you enjoyed this one! Review if ya like! 

Seminian: Thanks and yeah I'm sorry about it being confusing maybe it will get a little clearer as it goes on (I hop)

Fushicho Hime: Sorry, but Hillary isn't gone forever, she's still in the story as a character who I can diss and yell at and torture etc. I really hate her! But in my eyes she's made for Tyson lol. I'm glad you like the idea and check out Strata-Assassin's story who also use the wings idea. Good luck with killing Baal!


	3. Chapter 3

"Rei! There you are!" Tyson exclaimed. "We've been looking all over for you!"

"Sorry to worry you guys," Rei replied.

"Hey! Let's all head back to my place and get some training in before tomorrow's match!" Tyson suggested.

"While we're at it, I could run a simulation of Amara and Michelle's battles and see how they would compare to your blades. Also, I could do some last minute tweaks to each of your blades to make sure they're in top condition." Kenny added.

"Which means, I do all the work." Dizzi included.

Tyson, Max, Kenny and Hillary all walked ahead while Kai and Rei sagged behind.

"Michelle told me something that I think you would want to hear, Kai." Rei stated.

Kai remained quiet, waiting for Rei to continue.

"She told me that there would a be traitor to her faction and that BioVolt and Black Dranzer would return."

Kai tensed at those words, knowing what they meant. _What was it that Amara told me two weeks ago?_ '_An enemy that you've faced once before. In fact, you were once allies with this enemy.' That's what she said, but how could she have known?_

"That's not the only thing Michelle told me, Kai," Rei continued. "She said that Amara started to act differently, she said she was no longer herself, and that it has gotten worse."

"Those two have chosen the path they now walk. Its not of our concern." Kai said abruptly.

"But what of BioVolt? And Black Dranzer? Aren't they our concern?"

'_There is nothing I can do… I am powerless to stopped was has been set in motion… I hate this.' _For a reason Kai could not comprehend, those words of Amara rang in his ears.

"Kai, we have to help them if BioVolt and Black Dranzer play a part in this," Rei stated firmly. "They will more than likely need our help."

"Why are you so eager to help them?" Kai asked incredulously.

Rei opened his mouth to reply but no words came to him. "Because…" he trailed off at that.

"Thought so," Kai stated and turned on his heel to walk away.

"Kai, what if they ask for our help? Would you then step in?"

Kai stopped but did not turn to face Rei. "Knowing Amara, she's too stubborn and proud to ask for help from anyone." _At the stadium, was she trying to ask for help? _

"But if they did?" Rei insisted.

Kai just shrugged his reply and Rei realized that was going to be the only answer he will receive. They continued their walked to Tyson's home in silence.

* * *

Unknown to Rei, Amara had been watching him from the shadows in the hallway as he left. Stepping out from the abyss of the shadows, she watched his back disappear. 

"Amara," A voice said behind her.

Amara did not need to turn to see who it was. "Michelle, as I have promised."

"What are you talking about?" Michelle asked as Amara turned to face her.

"My promise to tell you… what I've been hiding," Amara was hesitant in saying the words.

Michelle did not press Amara, seeing that this was hard for her.

Amara turned and started to walk away and Michelle understood enough to follow her. The two of them headed out of the stadium. They walked along on the sidewalk in silence. Unnoticing, they reached the pier, walked its length to the end, and looked out over the vast ocean that stretched before them.

Amara leaned on the rail, gazing out over the ocean before letting out a sigh. "Michelle, I… you see Tiamat and I, well, we have almost achieved Perfect Unity."

"What!" Michelle exclaimed. "That's great!"

"No it isn't!" Amara snapped, facing Michelle, eyes flickering amber for a brief moment. "We weren't ready. We're not strong enough to control it. You may not see it but Tiamat and I are stuck in Unity because of my stupidity."

"Wha-what are you talking about?" Michelle asked.

"It's hard to explain, but, during the process to achieve Perfect Unity, there was something we forgot." Amara paused.

Michelle waited for her to continue but she didn't. "Amara, what did you forget?"

Amara smiled vainly. "I had forgotten that to be in Perfect Unity, you had not only be in unity with your bit beast but with yourself as well. And I am nowhere near to being in Unity with myself."

"You mean, that this other personality is the side of you that you can't cope with? But I don't understand why, Amara."

Amara's smile was barren and empty, as if it was a smile that had raised the white flag and given up all hope. "Because, Michelle, you don't know me."

"What are you talking about, Amara?" The question was starting to sound repetitious.

"You don't know who I truly am. Its true we've been friends for the longest time, so close we could be considered sisters, but never did we ask each other of our pasts. That is the side of me I can't contend with, my own past."

"We've all done things in the past that we aren't proud of, however you shouldn't chastise yourself over it."

Amara shook her head. "I know, but that's just who I am. There are some things you just can't let go." She walked past Michelle and headed back.

Michelle watched Amara leave with wondering eyes. She let out a resigned sigh and rested her elbows on the rail. Her mind wandered back… _How many years ago?_ _It's not like me to forget…eight, it had to be 8 years ago._

* * *

_Michelle was a just a small child at the age of seven. She never knew who her real parents were, but she didn't really care either. The only thing that she had in her possession that belonged to her family was a small pendent that she wore on a string around her neck. The pendent was that of a dragon, black, steel blue and silver. Michelle resided at an orphanage along with at least 20 other children. _

_It was a cold evening in late autumn when a new child had arrived. There was quite a stir when the other children heard that another was joining them, one who was from America. The children ran out of their bedrooms and gathered on the second floor balcony, standing barefoot in their pajamas. _

_Michelle couldn't help but wonder why would America bother sending over their orphans to Japan. In the main hall Michelle was able to catch a glimpse of the new orphan from between the other children, Michelle felt something strange, an air of familiarity just coming from her glimpse. _

_The man who had brought the child in was talking to the matron. He was wearing a uniform and seemed like an important man._

"_She's a stowaway, don't know how she remained undetected all the way from America to here, but she did." The man said._

_The matron nodded in understanding. She leaned over to the girl. "Do you know where your parents are?"_

_A child's voice spoke up, "No, what gave you that impression that I would know who my parents were. 'Cause if I did know them, I wouldn't be hitchhiking a ride an airplane, now would I?"_

_Michelle could just imagine the incredulous look the matron would have given the child. "What are we to do?" Matron asked the man._

"_Well, this is an orphanage, isn't it?" The man confirmed. _

_Matron sighed resolutely. "Okay, then, she can stay here. Now what is your name?"_

"_Amara," the girl answered. "Amara Hirokami,"_

"_Hirokami? Is that your real surname?" The matron pressed._

"_No, but it sounds better with it than without it," Amara answered. The man and matron exchanged glances at her answer._

_The man then bowed farewell to both of them and took his leave_

_Michelle heard the matron sigh and say, "Well, let's find a place for you to sleep." Footsteps were heard, coming closer to the stairway. The children hurriedly went back to their bedrooms, diving under the covers of their beds. Michelle didn't bother hurrying, taking her time, she meandered back to her bed._

_Matron entered the room Michelle shared with a few other girls, who were all pretending to be sleeping. She looked down at Michelle and saw that she was awake. "Well, seeing that you're still awake, Michelle, you wouldn't mind sharing you bed with our newcomer?"_

_Michelle shook her head. She got her first good look at the girl Amara. Her hair was cut short, a glow of red bronze to it. Her eyes were cold green, with a flicker of a sharp wit, dry humor, and a strong will beneath the glassy surface._

"_Amara, this is Michelle," Matron said putting a hand on her shoulder. "You two will be sharing a bed for the time being. Michelle, I trust that you will explain to Amara the rules. Goodnight, both of you." The matron left and shut the door behind her._

_Michelle moved over to make room for Amara. She noticed that Amara seemed to be analyzing her, as if trying to figure her out._

"_Michelle, right?" Amara asked. Michelle nodded in reply. "I can already tell that we are going to be good friends, but let us never ask each other of our pasts before we met, okay?"_

"_Okay, Amara,"_

* * *

_I can't believe I forgot that Amara had asked me of that when we first met. _Michelle thought after reminiscing. _Amara's still the same, but she mature quite a bit over the years. _Michelle glanced one more time out over the ocean before turning on her heel and heading back to Wingz Corp headquarters as the sky darkened with the coming evening.

* * *

Amara did not head straight back to headquarters after her chat with Michelle; instead, she wandered about the darkening streets of town, idly paying attention to where she was going. A sigh escaped her. _Well, Tiamat, I told her._

_And she seemed to have taken it quite well. _Came Tiamat's telepathic reply.

Amara inclined her head in agreement. _Now, our next task is to gain complete control over the _Unity

_It's going to hard. _Tiamat stated frankly.

_I never said it was going to be easy, Tiamat. There will be many hurdles and obstacles we have to cross._

_You seem to have a more determination, now._

_It's because I know that Michelle will be behind me on this now. _Amara replied indignantly. Her feet taking her down the barren sidewalk.

_Are you sure? _Her bit beast asked her slyly. _Or is it maybe that you know there might be another who will help? _

_Tiamat! How can you be so insidious?_

_I'm just stating facts on what I see._

_How 'bout you keep your observations to yourself. _Amara suggested slightly vexed and flustered.

The conversation died, and Amara walked in silence. The street lamps flickered on, illuminating the street that no car ever seemed to drive down. She walked past a traditional Japanese home, the front gate was slightly ajar and from inside, Amara could hear the spinning of beyblades. Curiosity got the better of her and she pushed the gate open and walked in, only to be greeted by an old man carrying around a kendo bamboo sword.

"S'up little cloaked homey?" The old man asked.

Amara raised an eyebrow and regarded the old man inquisitorial. "Eh?"

"Never seen you around here before," He stated.

"I'm sorry I came in, but the gate was ajar and-" Amara was cut off.

"You can just call me "Grandpa", all of Tyson's homey friends call me that," 'Grandpa' rambled on.

Something, however, caught Amara's attention. "Tyson?"

"Yup, he and his buddies are out back practicing, getting ready for their match tomorrow,"

_It seems that you stepped into something totally unexpected. _Tiamat's voice rang in the back of her mind. Before Amara could reply to either of the two. Tyson came sliding into view with Hillary right on his heels.

"Tyson! Get back here!" Hillary bellowed.

Tyson ran right between Grandpa and Amara before skidding to a stop, resulting in the unexpected Hillary running full force right into him. Tyson hit the ground, Hillary on top of him. It took a moment before Tyson got back to his feet and stared at the unanticipated guest. The rest of the team rounded the corner of the house and stopped dead in their tracks.

A silence passed over the whole group; even Grandpa was quiet, even though it was out of confusion at the stares of surprise and confusion.

"What are you doing here?" Rei finally asked.

"Funny you should ask," Amara retorted, "I don't even know myself. I'll be taking my leave." Her eyes connected with Kai's before she turned on her heel, her cloak swished about and she started to exit.

Something soared past her right ear, severing a few strands of hair. A beyblade imbedding itself in the threshold of the gate, it was still spinning. Amara turned around, amber eyes furious.

"Kai!" Hillary said in a scolding voice.

Kai did not pay any attention to her. His launcher pointed in Amara's direction. "We have a match to settle."

A smirk spread across Amara's lips. "Indeed we do."

Kai's blade wrenched itself out of the threshold and followed to same path back to Kai's hand. He put Dranzer into the launcher and readied himself.

Amara pulled out her ebony blade and launcher. The smirk faded and was replaced by an apathetic expression.

"This is going to be awesome!" Max said positioning himself off to the side but in between the two combatants. "3! 2! 1! Let it rip!" He swung his arm down and the two launched their blades. There was no dish for the two to blade in, but the whole yard could have been considered it.

Amara's obsidian blade was the faster of the two, but only by so much. It weaves in between everyone's legs, although Dranzer was still keeping pace.

"You improved, Kai," Amara observed. "I'm almost impressed."

"Hmph." Kai scoffed. Dranzer sped up and was now racing alongside the raven blade.

"Dizzi, are you getting these energy readings?" Kenny asked his computer.

"Sure am, Chief, these readings are way off the charts!" Dizzi stated.

"Go, Dranzer!" Kai yelled. Fire engulfed his blade and it slammed Amara's blade. Her blade suddenly stopped and stayed in its place. Dranzer swerved about, flames still surrounding it, and kept its position. It was almost as if it was a stand off.

"Tiamat! Dark Flare!" A pillar of black fire shot forth from the blade, instead of giving off warmth, it left everyone cold and empty. Tiamat regained its momentum and hurdled towards Dranzer, whose own flames seemed to die away from the impending cold. Tiamat grind into Dranzer, forcing Kai's blade back.

"C'mon, Kai!" Tyson encouraged. "You can beat her!"

"You can do better than this, Kai." Amara taunted. "You're not even trying!"

Kai did not reply, his focus remained on the battle at hand. His eyes scanned about the terra looking for something that would work to his advantage. _It seems like with each passing moment her blade gets stronger. There's something that I'm missing… _Involuntarily, Kai's eyes were drawn to the sky; it was night and thick clouds were covering any light that the moon or stars would give. _That's it! Her blade is dark-based; it's drawing power from the lack of light. _"Dranzer! Flame Sabre!" Dranzer's flames intensified, now lighting the grass on fire, making a ring around the two blades.

Amara glowered at him; her advantage lost now that the playing field was alit. The battle continued inside the flaming ring.

"What are you doing here?" Kai asked.

"I told you already, I don't know." Amara replied curtly.

"Sure. You came here because you know that you need our help whether you like it or not," Kai ridiculed. "Even though you might've done so unknowingly."

"I don't need any of your help!" Amara's blade started to lose its momentum.

_Amara, stay focused! _Tiamat called. Unity_ is breaking!_

Amara gritted her teeth and turned back to the battle.

Kai figured he would have struck a nerve by his statement but he did not expect that much of an effect. His statement had only been a taunt; he did not realize there would have been any truth behind it. Nevertheless, there seemed to be a great amount of truth behind it.

"I will not lose!" Amara suddenly shouted. However, it was not directed at Kai. The ring of flame was suddenly extinguished, and like back at the tournament, everything went black.

Visibility soon returned to the group. Kai's blade was still spinning on ground that looked like it had been scalded. Amara, however, along with her blade were nowhere in sight.

Rei glanced around, wondering where she could have gone.

* * *

"Welcome back again to BBA Headquarters! This is Brad Best along with A.J. Topper and today is day two of tournaments and what lineup we have for you!" Brad said. 

"That's right, Brad," A.J. agreed. "Our first match is about to get under way. We have Tyson, the defending World Champion and his partner, Max of the BladeBreakers, up against John Doberman and James Harding of the Hard Blades."

"Today is bound to be another exciting day!"

Max glanced over at Tyson who was preparing himself for the upcoming match. "Hey, Tyson, did you notice anything strange about Amara?"

Tyson glanced up. "What do you mean?"

Max shook his head. "I don't know, its just I can't shake the feeling, that there's something we're missing."

Tyson stood up and stretched. He walked over to Max and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Hey, everything's gonna be okay. But let's keep our mind on the match, 'kay?"

Max nodded and followed Tyson out of the locker room. _Draciel, _he thought, looking down at his blade while he walked down the hall, _I still can't help but feel something that something is wrong. What are we going to do? _He shook his head at the question. "We're going to blade, and win." He whispered to himself, but the roar of the crowd drowned it out as the two of them stepped out into the stadium.

* * *

"And the winners are Tyson and Max of the BladeBreakers!" The referee shouted. 

"That was one quick battle," Brad commented.

"But you have to give credit to John and James of the Hard Blades. Those two put up a good fight." A. J. remarked.

"Now starting our next match, two teams making their first tournament appearances. We have Mike Zager and Jordan Reif of the Chargers versus Troy Aikman and Paul Davies of the Slashers."

The BladeBreakers were vaguely paying attention to the announcers, all to busy discussing the last match and the upcoming one.

"That match was over before it even started," Tyson said.

"No kiddin', Tyson," Max replied.

"Rei, Kai, shouldn't you two get ready for your next match?" Kenny turned around to face them only to find that they were already gone. He let out a sigh.

"Those two," Hillary said exasperatedly, "They've been acting weird."

Tyson laughed. "I wouldn't worry, they probably just got a lot on their minds, I mean if they want to beat me and Maxie here," He said putting a arm around Max's shoulders.

"Whatever, Tyson," Hillary turned on her heel and walked off, heading to their seats in the stands.

"C'mon you guys, let's go to our seats and get ready to watch Rei and Kai's match." Kenny suggested.

By the time they got to their seats the battle was over, naming the Slashers winners, and the match between Rei and Kai against the Raiders was about to begin.

* * *

Michelle was waiting up in the mezzanine for the last match of the day to start. She glanced over her shoulder to see Amara walking over to her, yawning. 

"You didn't get back until late, how come?" Michelle inquired.

Amara walked over to Michelle's side and leaned back against the rail, shrugging her shoulders. "I just loss track of time, that's all. You know I have a tendency to do such things."

"You never look this tired," Michelle countered.

Amara looked perturbed, but the mien soon faded and she responded, "I'm fine, alright? Stop worrying."

Michelle sighed, biting back her retort since the match was starting. She turned to gaze down at the stadium as the first two contestants took their places and the match was underway.

Rei was the one who was up first. His blade, Drigger, did almost what appeared to be a disappearing act and in a matter of seconds, the Raiders' blade was knocked out of the ring.

Both Michelle and Amara smirked, since they were probably two of the few who actually saw what happened.

It was Kai's turn. He walked up to the launch pad, with his head down, while his opponent made his way, shaking. The ref called for the start and the blades were launched.

Kai noted that his opponent was shaking as he released his blade, causing an airborne launch. Firing Dranzer into the air as well, the blade slammed into the other and knocked it out of the ring, before landing placidly in the dish.

"And the winners are Kai and Rei!" The ref announced and a cheer went up among the crowd.

"No surprise there," Amara stated offhandedly.

"Join us again tomorrow for another exciting day of blading!" Brad said. "The closer we get to the championship rounds the more thrilling these matches will be! Tomorrow's match-up will be Amara Hirokami and Michelle Katsumonu of Wingz Corp versus Marty Rain and Vincent Gail of the X-Factors!"

"Its bound to be great! Since there will be only one match per day in the upcoming days the battles will start at a later time. Therefore, we will see all tomorrow at one o'clock!" A.J. concluded and the crowd started to flood the exits, chatting and wondering what tomorrow will hold.

Amara and Michelle waited for the crowd to thin before taking their leave. But, they found themselves exiting with none other then the BladeBreakers.

Amara and Kai glared daggers at each other, seemingly oblivious to the others that were around. Michelle and Rei both let out a sigh and were surprised that they had copied each other.

Tyson was the first to speak up and with an accusing finger pointing he stated, "Hey, you ran away from the battle last night!"

A confused look crossed Michelle's face. "Battle? Amara, what is he talking about?" Realization dawned upon her face. "You had a bey battle! That's why you didn't return until late!"

Without a reply to Michelle, Amara pull out her blade and readied herself to launch, Kai doing the same.

"This isn't the time or place for a battle," Hillary insisted, motioning about with her arm to get her point across that battling in exit and entryway was not an ideal place for combat.

"Shut up," Both Kai and Amara said at the same time, resulting in Hillary biting her tongue from saying another word.

"C'mon you two," Max stepped between them. "As much as I hate to admit it, Hillary is right, this isn't the place."

"Amara, cease this nonsense!" Michelle demanded.

"Kai, come on," Rei reasoned. "The best place to fight each other would be in the tournament."

Neither responded, each keeping their gaze locked upon the other and arms tense, ready to launch.

"What is going on here?" A voice asked from behind the group.

"Mr. Dickinson!" Kenny exclaimed as he turned around to face the head chairman of the BBA.

"Miss Hirokami? Kai? What is going on?" He asked again.

Amara scoffed and lowered her launcher. She shot a glare at Kai before heading out of the door, leaving Michelle and the others behind.

Michelle sighed as she watched Amara exit. Turning to Mr. Dickinson and the group, she bowed in apology. "I am sorry about Amara's behavior." _Why do I feel like I always have to apologize for Amara's behavior lately?_ Her eyes rested on Rei and he nodded knowingly.

"What is up with her?" Tyson asked aloud.

Michelle looked upon Rei, her expression slightly surprised. "You didn't tell them?" She chuckled slightly. "I would've thought that you would have shared with them as soon as possible." Turning toward serious again, she continued, "You can either have Rei's version of what I have told him or you can meet me this evening at the park around seven. It's your choice." She bowed again and left, following the path that Amara had taken only a few minutes before.

"Rei?" Max inquired, turning to him.

"It would be better to hear it from her." Rei replied.

"And that's exactly what we will do," Tyson reasoned.

"You kids figure this out, I have a feeling what Miss Katsumonu has to say will be very important," Mr. Dickinson said and left to return to his office.

"Seven tonight, Michelle had better be there and with some good answers," Tyson declared.

* * *

Amara had not returned to Wingz Corp Headquarters, instead she went to the abandon house that she and Michelle had made livable and moved into a few years back. They usually stayed at HQ, but the house was still a home to them. She opened the front door and walked in, gazing about the place. It was small, having only two bedrooms, living room, one bathroom and a kitchen. 

It had been awhile since the last time they had slept in the place, but other then being a little dusty it was still the same. Laying her cloak on the couch in the living room, revealing her tee shirt and shorts, she went down the hall to one of the bedrooms. The bedroom was no longer a bedroom; it had been made into a makeshift training room. A bey dish, a punching bag that was slung up in the corner, a weight machine, a bench and a shelf that held weights and a first aid kit were all place into the room.

Removing the gloves on her hands and slipping out of her tee shirt, so she was only wearing a spaghetti-strap tank top, she walked over to the bag.

Arms resting at her sides, she stared at the black EverLast bag. In a split second, her right arm shot out throwing a hook at the bag. Following the hook was a roundhouse kick with her right foot, turning in a complete circle until she was back to where she started but now in a boxing position. Left jab followed by two rights then a low left kick. Right jab, two lefts then a right hook. Forming a different variation each time she struck the bag, continuing until her knuckles started to bleed. With a final right punch, the chain that was holding the bag up snapped, causing it collapse to the floor.

Taking a step back, Amara stared down at her work, her breath coming in short. She examined her wounded knuckles and scoffed. Amara walked over to the first aid kit and pulled out some rubbing alcohol patches and gauze. Not wincing once as she cleaned the scratches and wrapped them. Glancing up at the clock that read three thirty, Amara wondered where Michelle was, but then figured she had gone back to Headquarters instead.

Amara turned a left the training room, and made her way back to the living room and threw herself down upon the couch. She gazed up at the ceiling before placing her arm over her eyes and falling asleep.

* * *

After arranging the meeting, Michelle headed back to Wingz Corp Headquarters. Headquarters was a rather inconspicuous place. It was located in the backwater ends of town in an old warehouse. While it looked rundown on the outside, inside it was rather advance. 

Michelle stepped inside only to find Ari and Reno readying to exit. She raised an eyebrow. "Where are you two going?"

Reno shrugged. "Out." Was his simple reply.

Ari smiled lightly and leaned slightly to the side looking over Michelle's shoulders, her expression turning confused. "Where is Amara?"

It was Michelle's turn to look perplexed. "You mean she didn't come back here?"

"Is something wrong, Michelle?" Reno asked

Michelle shook her head. "No, I was just curious as to why she isn't here." She let out a sigh. "I have a feeling I know where she is."

The smile returned to Ari's face. "Well, good luck finding her. We'll see you around." She said as she started to push Reno out the door, despite his protests of being able to walk well enough by himself.

Michelle chuckled as she watched the two leave. _Well, should I head to the house and risk putting Amara in an even fouler mood then she already is or do I wait around here and do nothing until seven? _Michelle sighed. _This is an easy choice… Going home it is, at least I might be able to relieve some stress by getting into an argument with Amara. Somehow I think that some release of anger well benefit both of us._

* * *

Michelle made it to the house and quietly entered. She saw Amara's cloak thrown over the back of the couch. She didn't hear Amara "relieving" her own stress, which was her excuse of beating the crap out of the punching bag in the training room. _Either she already broke it, or she didn't even bother. _Michelle's ears then caught the sound of deep breathing coming from the couch. She silently made her way over and peered over the back of the couch to find Amara, sleeping. 

Michelle smiled at her friend. "Sometimes I don't get you Amara, you're just full of too many surprises." She thought for moment, remembering something. "'Fate'… What do you mean by that there is nothing you can do about the wheels of fate from turning? I wish you could just tell me, but then again, I always wish this." Sighing again she turned around and headed out of the house.

Amara removed her arm from her eyes. "I wish I could tell you, Michelle. But my fate is set and nothing can stop it. If you did know what my fate is, no doubt you would do all you can to stop it from happening…" Pulling out her blade, Amara sat up and looked at it.

_Your thoughts are deep and troubled. _Tiamat said in the back of her mind.

_Of course they are Tiamat. _Amara replied. _Why wouldn't they be?_

_Amara, what you saw may not be reality. _

Amara shook her head, already disagreeing with Tiamat's words. _I am certain._

* * *

The BladeBreakers all gathered at Tyson's house, waiting for seven o'clock to come. 

"Argh! I so sick of waiting!" Tyson complained. "Chief, what time is it?"

"Tyson, its only quarter to four." Kenny replied exasperated.

Tyson was about ready to scream with frustration but Rei cut him off from doing so. "Tyson, relax."

"Hey, Rei?" Max spoke up.

"Yeah?"

"Why can't you just tell us what's up? I mean you already know,"

Rei shook his head. "Sorry, Max, but I only know a little bit myself. It's something that I wouldn't be able to explain well, because I'm not so sure myself."

"Oh…"

Kai leaned back against the wall of the room, vaguely listening to the conversation between his teammates. His thoughts ran inward, thinking about what Rei had told him. _Black Dranzer returning? But who did BioVolt find that is strong enough to wield it? Grandfather, are you a part of this as well? _Kai didn't bother to look up at the door was swung open revealing a quite angry Hillary.

"What's wrong, Hillary?" Kenny asked as she stormed into the room.

"This whole thing is so stupid!" She shouted.

Max raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

"Obviously you all have been keeping me in the dark. You all have an idea of what the Michelle is talking about!"

"Hillary, calm down." Rei said sternly and surprisingly she did shut up. "I'll explain later how everything will tie together, after we get the rest of Michelle's story."

Hillary let out a defeated sigh and plopped down on the floor. "Whatever."

Time seemed to inch its way closer and closer to seven, but as the scheduled time drew nearer, time only seemed to go slower. Grandpa had checked in a few times, bringing food and of course, when something deals with Grandpa amusement will come along as well.

Finally, six thirty came and everyone seemed to break out of their daze make their way to the exit to head the park in unspoken haste. Their anticipation of the meeting was that they would finally get some answers to questions.

* * *

DeathScimitar: Thank you for reading part 3 of my story! Things have been kind of hectic since I'm in driver's training and I haven't been able to find much time to write since I always had to finish homework or something like that. I'll try to update again, soon… maybe… clears throat I'm still kinda writing chapter 4, I know how I want to do it but I can't put it into words! Grr! So you'll have to be a little patient. I think that's all I wanted to say… At least this time I'm not all hyper while writing this note. Once again, if you liked the story, wanted to correct something, comment, or just goddamn flame me, go right ahead. I'll be sure to mention/answer you in the next part. 

Fushicho Hime: Hillary deserves to die, and I have been debating about injuring her or something like that later on, haven't decided. Do I sense that your senses could be correct? They do make a good couple lol. It's a lot of fun to write Amara when she goes all dark like that. More will be explained in the next part about that little feature.

Emerald Dragon: I'm glad you're enjoying this! Don't worry, I don't plan on dropping this story anytime soon, its just I have to find time and the right inspiration to put everything into words.


	4. Chapter 4

Leaning up against the bike rack, her cowl up, Michelle checked the time on her watch. _Seven o'clock. _She glanced up and to her surprise found Tyson sprinting towards her with the rest of the team coming up behind him. _On time? This is a first. I guess I should be flattered. _Michelle thought sardonically.

"I want answers and I want them now," Tyson demanded between gasps.

"Really?" Michelle raised an eyebrow, but it couldn't be seen underneath the cowl of her cloak. She waited until the rest of them and caught up to Tyson and was looking at her expectantly. Sighing, she pulled back her hood. "Where do you want me to start?" She looked purposefully at Rei.

"Tell them what you told me," He replied simply.

Michelle nodded. "Okay," She went into detail on everything she had told Rei the day before, even Tyson stayed quiet, but not until the part where Michelle explained about Black Dranzer.

"Black Dranzer! BioVolt!" He exclaimed.

"Hey! Wait a second!" Hillary interrupted. "What's this Black Dranzer and BioVolt?" Rei then explained to Hillary the whole deal with Boris and the plot to take over the world using Black Dranzer, but he did of course left out some details dealing with Kai and his past.

"But you can't serious!" Tyson continued his argument after Rei finished the recap.

Michelle locked a cold glare on him. "I'm dead serious. But there's more, I told you about our ability, _Unity_, well I found out the reason why Amara is acting strange… It's because of _Perfect Unity_. She has achieved it to a certain extent."

Kai spoke up, "What do you mean by 'a certain extent'?"

"You see, she is at the point where she should be able to use it, but she forgot that in order to be in harmony with your bit beast, you have to be in harmony with yourself. Amara forgot that and that's why she's the way she is now."

* * *

Amara hadn't moved from her spot. She still lay upon the couch, staring up at the ceiling. Finally sitting up, she stretched out her cramped muscles. Stopping in mid-stretch, she glanced around. _Tiamat, something's wrong. Do you sense it as well?_

_Yes._

Amara got to her feet and looked about. The nearby window shattered and Amara took a step back as she saw what had broke through. A black blade with red markings that when it spun it seemed to be on fire appeared before her. Her eyes widened, recognizing the blade.

Dark flames shot forth from the blade. Searing at Amara's skin as she tried to get away from the growing fire. Walls of flame had sprung up behind her; the heat was unbearable, leaving her trapped in the fast burning house.

_Tiamat!_

_

* * *

_

"Why is it that?" Tyson asked.

Michelle shook her head. "I really don't know if I should be telling you this, but if it will help, I will. You see Amara is from America and the first time I met her was at the orphanage eight years ago. We're both orphans. I lost my parents a few years before and you could say that my living relatives don't know or care that I exist, and I'm not going into detail on that." She added with a cold glare directed at all of them. "When we met we made a pact not to ask each other of our pasts. However even now I still wish, I didn't make this promise, it would make things so much easier to understand."

_Michelle! Something is wrong! _Bahamut's voice rang through her mind.

"Bahamut?" She asked aloud startling the BladeBreakers. She shook her head and replied, W_hat is it? What's going on?_

_I can't feel Tiamat's presence. It's as if it just completely blinked out of existence. _

_What! _Michelle asked shocked.

"Michelle, what is it?" Rei asked taking a step towards her, but she made no reply to intent on the conversation between her and her bit beast.

_The last place you were able to sense them in was still at the house, right?_

_Yes. _

_Try finding them again._

There was a pause and then pain exploded through Michelle's head causing her to stagger back into Rei who had caught her. _Bahamut! What's happening?_

_The house is burning!_

Michelle pulled herself away from Rei and started sprinting off, but was caught by a strong hand.

"Michelle, what's wrong?" He asked, concerned covering his face.

"Let me go!" Michelle commanded as she pulled against him, trying to break from his grip. "Amara's in danger!"

At that statement, Rei immediately let go and watched Michelle bolt off. With no more than a second of contemplation he followed, with Kai at his heels and the rest trailing behind.

Although Kai and Rei were sprinting, Michelle was still pulling away from them. They weave through the streets heading towards the outskirts of the town, which in the distance a red and orange lighting up the darkening sky over the tops of the buildings. It was toward the luminescence that they were heading for and it wasn't the setting sun.

Michelle kept on running as she saw the glow of flames on the darkening skies. Her chest ache as her breaths came in gasps. Skidding to a stop, she saw the inevitable. The house- their house- was burning. The tongues of flame whipped about in a blaze, taunting her, telling her that there was nothing she could do.

Michelle wasn't going to take the taunts anymore. She bolted off towards the blaze but only to be caught again by Rei's hand.

"Michelle, don't. You'll be throwing your life away if you even tried to get in there!"

"I don't care! Amara's in there!" She cried, trying to pull away from Rei's tight hold. But he wasn't about ready to let her go. Giving up in her efforts, she sank to the ground.

Rei knelt down next to her, placed an arm about her shoulders, and was startled when she buried her face into his chest. He helplessly looked up at Kai.

Kai watched the burning building. The flames were familiar to him. Flames of crimson with the hottest part of the flame burn ebony; they were Black Dranzer's flames.

The rest of the team finally caught and neared them in complete silence, already having an idea of what was happening. They hung their head in despondency.

An explosion sounded and everyone looked back up at the house, except for Michelle. The door had been thrown off and inside the flames burned obsidian. Silhouetted against the flames was a figure with wings that stretched out behind them. The figure walked out of the house towards them.

Michelle pulled away from Rei to see the figure nearing them. "A-Amara?" She stammered.

It indeed turned out to be Amara. Her green eyes burned with amber and she made her way closer. She stood before Michelle, Rei and Kai and her wings folded back and disappeared. Letting out a shaky breath as the amber fire in her eyes died. A small smirk curled up her thin lips. "Someone better catch me." Was all she said her voice was raspy and hoarse from the inhalation of the smoke. Her eyes closed and she fell forward.

Kai was the first to react. He caught her and carefully lowered her to the ground. With his arm wrapped around her back, he felt the warm slick blood the coated her tank top around the area of her shoulder blades.

In the distance, the siren of fire trucks could be heard.

Michelle carefully got to her feet; looking in the direction the sirens were coming from. "We have to leave."

"But the fire trucks, they can help-" Tyson started.

"No," Michelle replied curtly. "They ask to many questions at hospitals."

"You're not being rational, Michelle," Hillary accused.

Michelle turned a cold glare at Hillary. "I'm being perfectly rational." She replied icily. "'Cause like I said, hospitals ask too many questions. We have to get back to Headquarters." She looked over at Kai who was still supporting Amara. "Could you carry her?"

Kai glanced down at Amara's limp form and nodded. Keeping his right arm behind her shoulders he slipped his left arm underneath her knees and lifted her up. Being as tall as she was, which was the exact same height as himself, and having a strong physique she was surprisingly light.

"Follow me," Michelle said and took off, the BladeBreakers following closely at her heels. They had left just as the trucks had pulled up.

Michelle led them to the warehouse where she had been only a few hours before and opened the door, swiftly walking in. "This way," She said as she led them down a hall to an area of the warehouse that had many different rooms. Coming to the end of the hallway, Michelle opened the door on the right and walked in.

It was a medium sized room, a bed in the corner, a bookshelf opposite of it full of books, there was a desk that had papers covering it a lot of them with a small script upon them.

Kai didn't need to be told what to do. He walked over to the bed and carefully laid Amara upon it.

"I'll be right back," Michelle said as she exited the room.

"Hey! Wait!" Tyson called after her. He ran out the door and saw Michelle knock on another door that was few rooms down.

Michelle waited for a moment and the door opened.

Ari answered. "Michelle? What's wrong?" She didn't receive an answer. Instead Michelle grabbed her by the wrist and led her to Amara's room.

Reno stuck his head out of the room that was across from Ari's. "Huh? What's going on?"

Michelle pushed past Tyson, pulling Ari into Amara's room. Reno had followed the two. "What are the BladeBreakers doing here?"

"Ari, can you heal her?" Michelle asked.

Ari looked over Amara and noted the blood from her back that was starting to stain the sheets and the slight burns she had. Looking back at Michelle, she nodded but than cast a glance over at the rest of the group, or more pointedly, the guys.

Kai, Rei and Reno understood and exited the room. Max caught on a few seconds later, cleared his throat to get Kenny and Tyson's attention, and pulled them out of the room.

"Hillary, you can either stay or go, it matters not to me," Michelle stated sharply.

Ari expertly tied her long hair back from her face and carefully turned Amara over onto her stomach. The wounds on her back still bled, so that now her tank top was soaked with it. Ari examined the stripes with an adept eye. She left the bed and looked about the room for something. She spotted what she was looking for on the bookshelf and grabbed it.

The object was knife still in its sheath. Ari carefully pulled it out of its sheath and gazed momentarily at the blade. Taking the blade, she carefully cut through the blood soak material. Placing the knife aside, she pulled out her beyblade.

"_Unity!_" Ari said aloud. Pure white angel wings unfolded from her back and she now appeared in armor that was as white as newly fallen snow. She closed her eyes in concentration and tightly gripped her blade.

_Ark, I need your help to heal Amara's wounds._

_I understand, m'lady. _

Hillary watched wide-eyed at the spectacle that was happening right in front of her. Ari's gloved hands held her blade over Amara's form. A light gathered in her hands that spread out to engulf the whole room.

* * *

Reno led the group to a lounge area, where Kenny promptly sat down in a chair and opened his laptop. Rei and Max sat down on the sofa, while Tyson made himself comfortable on the floor and Kai remained standing, leaning up against the wall.

Reno sat down in the chair that was across from Kenny and was slightly caught off guard when the laptop suddenly spoke up.

"So this is the highly acclaimed Headquarters of Wingz Corp." Dizzi remarked.

"D-Did your computer just talk!" Reno asked aghast.

"I'm not just a computer!" Dizzi replied indignantly.

Kenny sighed. "Dizzi is actually a bit beast, but instead of being trapped inside a beyblade, she got trapped inside my laptop." He explained.

"Oh… I see," Reno replied.

"So, what exactly is that girl doing?" Rei finally inquired.

"That girl is Ari," Reno retorted. But before anyone could give an apology for their lack of knowledge he continued, "also known as Ari, Angel Wing. She is healing Amara by unifying with her bit beast."

"I still don't quite get this whole _Unity_ thing." Max commented.

"_Unity _is a technique that Amara and Michelle created, unifying the blader with the beast. By using _Unity, _the blader can do things that would be impossible, like healing wounds without the aid of any type of medicine for instance."

"So this is where the whole _Perfect Unity _comes into play? Amara was trying to master her own technique, but it backfired." Max analyzed.

Reno blinked. "She what?"

"You mean you didn't know?" Tyson asked. Reno shook his head in response.

"That just goes to show how much they didn't want to tell us." Kai spoke up. "If they wouldn't even tell their own subordinates."

Reno stood up in rage, his hand clenched tightly in a fist. "Who are you calling a 'subordinate'?"

Kai didn't even bother to look up at the enraged Reno, whose face was now as brightly colored as his hair.

"Hey, calm down." Rei said. Surprisingly, Reno did back down and flopped back down into his chair, but he did not stop glaring at Kai.

"I've been wondering, what's the deal with your guys' nicknames? I mean like Ari, Angel Wing." Tyson asked.

Reno seemed a little irked by the fact that Tyson had used Ari's name, to him, it seemed like an insult. "It's just something that we just happen to do. It goes by what type of wings our bit beast has or by its traits. Ari is Angel Wing because her bit beast, Ark, is practically an angel you could say. Damian is Demon Wing because his bit beast is a demon. Haru is Metal Wing, Amara is the Death Wing and I'm Reno the Hell Wing."

"What about Michelle?" Rei asked.

Reno opened his mouth but then decided against what he was going to say. Instead, he replied. "She doesn't have one. Her bit beast is different, there is basically no name fit to describe, I guess." He shrugged.

The room lapsed into silence. The only sound was the ticking of a clock, which now read 9 o'clock.

"You guys can stay in the extra rooms we have if you want." Reno said unexpected.

Rei glanced over at the rest of his teammates and saw no objections, returning his gaze to Reno he nodded his thanks.

* * *

Ari's brows came together in a frown, but she didn't open her eyes and continued to keep her concentration. A small growl escaped her lips and she opened her eyes, the armor faded leaving only her wings to remain, but they soon disappeared.

"What's wrong?" Michelle asked.

The burns were gone and the wounds on Amara's back were no longer bleeding but they weren't closing either.

"I've been able to clean out any infection and halt the bleeding, but there is block not allowing me to close it. Something keeps pushing me out, not forcefully, but more like rebuking." Ari shook her head. "It's like it doesn't want me to close the cuts." Hillary stood a few feet behind them, at a loss for words of what just happened.

Michelle looked down at Amara, trying to figure out what the deal was. She let out a defeated sigh. "Well, looks like we've done all we can for tonight."

Ari nodded her agreement and turned to face Hillary, a slight smile on her face. "I assume that you will be staying the night. We have plenty of room, so don't worry about it." She walked past her and continued to the lounge.

Michelle just inclined her head and walked by, leaving Hillary in the room, before she decided to follow.

Amara's eyes opened once Hillary, thankfully, had enough mental capacity to turn off the light and close the door behind her. She sat up carefully, wincing slightly as she moved to a sitting position, pulling the blankets close around her. She shivered, thinking back to what happened.

* * *

"_Tiamat!" She had screamed. The comforting darkness enveloped her and Amara felt the weight of her armor upon her body and the appendages of wings from her back. Her armor protected her from being burned but it did not keep the heat from affecting her. _

_Black Dranzer had come out of its blade and was now eyeing her with amusement. Without warning, the beast charged forward with its blade and flew right over Amara's head, into the flames above. _

_The whole house groaned in protest. Fiery debris of the roof broke loose threatening to crush Amara beneath it. _

_Amara dove to the side, using her dragon wings to propel her away from injury. The debris crashed on the floor where Amara was only a few seconds before. However, it seemed that Black Dranzer was one step ahead of her and anticipated her evasion. Already having another trap set, the supports began to collapse and fire surrounded her on all sides. Her eyes widened, as everything seemed to slow and then stop. Soon darkness enclosed everything. _

_The heat was gone; in fact, everything was gone. Amara looked about her, only to turn around to face herself._

"_What the hell?" Amara asked. She was indeed looking at herself in a mirror. Her reflection was her and then again it wasn't. The reflection's eyes were amber in color and her pose was relaxed, with one hand on hip and weight resting to one side. "Who the hell are you?"_

_The reflection smirked. "I thought that was obvious. I'm you."_

"_You are not me."_

"_Yes I am. I am you and you are me. It's not that hard to comprehend." She held up a hand to stop Amara from saying anything. "I am a part of you, I am who you would've been if you've chosen the other path instead of the one you now walk. You always wondered what you would be like if you took the other road, but I shouldn't say 'wondered' but 'knew'. So you created me as sort of a remembrance of what you promised yourself that you wouldn't become. But in so doing, you became me anyway, by trying to achieve Perfect Unity. That is why you can't become fully unified with Tiamat, because you had forgotten me. So it's your own damn fault for forgetting."_

"_Then how do I get rid of you?"_

"_Never thought you would ask." The reflection's smirk grew wider. "The only way to get rid of me is to accept me."_

"_Two words: Hell no." Amara retorted. "It's some sick form of reverse psychology that I made you as a remembrance to forget. The reason why you're enjoying this so is because that it sickens me to think that I could've- no would have, become you."_

"_Exactly. It doesn't matter anymore anyway."_

"_What are you talking about?"_

"_Well this little chitchat of ours is happening inside your subconscious mind. So as soon as you 'wake up' you're dead anyway."_

"_And let me guess, the only way to save myself is to accept you, complete the Perfect Unity and forever have you nagging in the back of my mind along with Tiamat's antics." Amara stated._

"_Precisely."_

"_Fine."_

_The reflection blinked. "What did you say?" She surely had not expected that._

"_I said 'fine'. I will accept you for now in order to save myself. And I can tell that this isn't what you expected from me." It was Amara's turn to smirk, and hers matched the one that had faded from the reflection's face. _

"_You're right, this isn't what I expected. Why the change of heart?"_

"_I have unfinished business and you should know what, since I'm assuming you saw what I saw when we almost achieve Perfect Unity."_

"_Ah, that." The reflection said in understanding. "You know, Tiamat is right. That may not have been reality." She than shrugged. "But since I'm you, I also know that there is no way that that could've not been reality."_

"_Tiamat knows as well, but he just doesn't want to believe it. Now, one thing before I 'wake up', this chat isn't over, and when Perfect Unity is activated no one becomes more in control than the other. This includes Tiamat. We work as one, understand?" Amara asked._

_Her reflection nodded and placed her hand up against the mirror. Amara did the same so their hands were pressed against each other with only the glass to separate. _

_The mirror became liquid-like around the two palms. Amara could actually feel her reflection's warm hand against hers. Amara took a step closer to the mirror as did her reflection, and the two mirrored each other's move as they stepped into the glass, becoming one._

_The heat returned but it no longer bothered her. The collapsing roof fell upon no one; it was stopped in mid air above Amara's head. Her ebony wings stretched out and Amara could actually feel the muscles beneath her shoulder blades that allowed the wings to actually belong to her. They weren't shadows of Tiamat's wings that he had bestowed upon her in Unity, they were her own. _

_Black Dranzer emerged from the flames, scowling. Tiamat became corporal and stood beside Amara, glaring up at the dark phoenix he spoke. "You are a virus that needs to be destroyed."_

_Black Dranzer growled. "You are still too weak, Death. Another time will come."_

"_I will destroy you here and now," Tiamat and Amara spoke as one. _

"_I doubt it." Black Dranzer retreated into the blade and the blade disappeared into the flames. The fire suddenly became hotter and it started to effect Amara again. _

_Tiamat disappeared and Amara tightly clutched her blade in her hand. Raising her power so the flames wouldn't burn, she made her way to the door. It refused to open. Amara's eyes started to unfocused, maintaining what was left of her energy was starting to take its toll. She stretched out her hand, palm facing toward the door. Black aura surrounded her, turning the flames to ebony and the door was blown off._

"_Michelle," She whispered seeing the kneeling figure. She walked towards her without staggering, which was surprising after all her energy was completely drained. Reaching them, she felt the muscles contort and fold as her wings sheathed themselves under her shoulder blades. Amara smirked as she felt her reflection leave and move to her subconscious. "Someone better catch me." She was surprised to hear how torn her voice was from the smoke, but it didn't matter now. She closed her eyes, welcoming the darkness. She couldn't be sure if it actually was the darkness that had wrapped its arms around her or something else.

* * *

_

"I hope that this is worth it…" Amara spoke aloud.

_You mean accepting your past. _Tiamat reasoned.

_Yeah, that's exactly what I mean. _

_Don't you think that maybe you're holding to tightly to your past. I mean, you can't stand to think about it and yet you just can't let it go. _Tiamat stated.

Amara was about to respond but she stopped herself. _Maybe you're right… Maybe I am in a way overreacting to something that has no significance here in the present. _

_Of course I'm right. _Tiamat replied.

_Starting now, I won't worry over something that happened in the past, but that doesn't mean I won't completely wipe it from my mind, I'll just use it to my advantage. I believe I found a way in which my 'reflection' will come in handy. _Amara replied with a smirk that made its way to her lips.

_Whatever works. _Tiamat answered, amused, already knowing what she was thinking.

Amara retained her smirked as she laid back again closing her eyes and drifting off to sleep.

* * *

Everyone looked up as Michelle entered. She looked over at Reno. "Show them to the empty rooms, since they're probably spending the night."

"Michelle, is Amara-" Reno started to ask, but Michelle cut him off. "She's fine." He nodded and turned to the BladeBreakers. "This way."

The troupe got to their feet and followed Reno. Rei was the last one to leave. He looked at Michelle before saying, "G'night," and headed off after Reno.

Ari and Hillary had already retired and Michelle was now the only one left in the lounge. She turned off the lights, immersing the room in complete darkness. Not needing to wait for her eyes to adjust to the lightlessness, she headed off to her own room, never once did she stumble since she knew the place so well.

Flinging herself upon her bed, she gazed up at the ceiling before standing up again to change. After changing she slipped under the covers and fell into a restless sleep. She didn't know how many times she had woke up, since she gave up counting after seventeen.

After what had to be number twenty-nine at least, Michelle sighed as she stare up at the ceiling. At five minute intervals she would glance over at her bedside clock and let out another sigh seeing how little time had passed. Three o'clock, three five, three ten, and so on until finally a half-hour passed.

Giving up on any ideas of falling asleep again, Michelle crawled out of bad. Clad in cotton shorts and a baggy tee shirt she made her way to the lounge only to find that she wasn't the only one who couldn't get to sleep.

"Can't sleep either?" Rei asked from his spot on the couch.

"How could you tell?" Michelle inquired back.

"You're awake, aren't you?"

"Good point." Michelle chuckled and made her way over to sit next to him.

"Do you guys live here or something?" Rei asked. "I know you don't have parents to go home to, but what about the others?"

"Well, truthfully we're all orphans. Even Damian, but he's living with someone, I'm not sure if he's his adoptive father or something like that." Michelle answered.

"Another question, then," Rei continued. "Why do you have so many left over rooms here?"

"What is this? Twenty questions? But to answer your question they were the rooms for the trainees. We did have at least five, but it seems they have all finally dropped out. So now, Wingz Corp only has six members, the five on the council and Damian."

Silence passed over the two as they sat in semi-darkness. Rei spoke up again. "You should get some sleep for your match tomorrow."

"You mean today." Michelle said glancing at the clock, which now read four o'clock.

"Will Amara be able to battle?"

Michelle laughed slightly. "Amara would still battle even if she was dying. She can be quite hardheaded when it comes to beyblading."

"I think the same could be said for you," Rei stated off-handedly.

Michelle glared at him but her gaze held no malice. "That was low…"

Rei hid his mouth with his hand to hide his amusement.

Michelle stood up and stretched. "Well I should at least try and get a little more sleep in." She said with a yawn.

Rei stood up as well. "I think I might do the same. Well, goodnight I guess," He said with a shrug since it probably wasn't the right thing to say since it was already morning.

"G'night to you too," Michelle said with an incline of her head and went back to her room.

* * *

A/N: Another part finished… whew… Anyway, I feel like I should give you some background info on Ari and Reno. Ari, despite her sweet sounding self and the nickname of Angel Wing, she's really not all that sweet. Put it this way, if you find some way to piss her off, she call forth her archangel Ark kick your ass and send you straight to Hell, where Reno resides. Reno will then kick your ass for even thinking about hurting Ari in any way. A lose-lose situation. And if you can't tell the two of them are a couple you should say. They're only minor characters but to me they're so much fun to write.

Fushicho Hime: Both of our senses are correct. Heh. Yeah Amara and Kai sure want to battle, but don't worry they get it soon. gringrin

Frankie the Spunky One: I'm glad that you're enjoying this and that you think my work is good!

Review, comment, flame, do whatever you like, just let me know what's on your mind relating to my stories, thanks! See you in the next part!


	5. Chapter 5

Amara awoke, covered in a cold sweat and her breathing was rapid. She placed her face in her hands. _Damn it. Now it has to haunt me while I sleep as well, isn't viewing it every waking moment enough? _She paused in her thoughts and moved her hand away from her face to see Michelle watching her.

"Nightmare?" Michelle inquired, acting innocent.

"Maybe." Amara answered.

"I s'pose you don't want to talk about either,"

"I suppose you're right, but I'll tell you anyway, since it's only a dream." Amara answered rather callously.

"So, then, what was this dream about?"

"I die," Amara said simply.

"You die?" Michelle started to laugh. "C'mon, I don't see why you seem so uptight over a dream in which you die. I mean I had a dream where I died by getting run over by a school bus." Amara raised an eyebrow at that statement. Michelle chuckled. "Let's not go into detail on that."

Amara shook her head. "Its not because I die, it's because of the way I die that concerns me. It was just to real and it felt real too." _This isn't a complete lie… _"But it's only a dream."

Michelle shrugged. "Whatever you say, Amara."

"What time is it?"

"It's six," Michelle answered. "No one else is up and out of bed yet." She added.

Amara nodded in understanding and Michelle promptly turned her back to Amara who was climbing out of bed and went over to her dresser, grabbing a tee shirt and a pair of jeans and quickly changing.

Michelle waited until Amara walked past her to follow. She walked along side her as they made their way through the corridors to the kitchen.

Amara stretched out her arms above her head, but not without grimacing slightly. "Sore?" Michelle asked and she nodded in reply.

Entering the kitchen, Amara went straight to the cupboard and pulled out a mug, filling it with the pre-made cappuccino that was resting in the pot on the counter.

Michelle sat down at the table, that seated four, and Amara joined her by sitting across from her and putting her feet up on the other chair, sipping on her drink.

"Amara?"

"Hmm?"

"Is everything alright now? I mean," Michelle asked tentatively, "do you have complete control now?"

Amara measured her words carefully before replying. "In a way, yes, everything is alright. However, it is a yes and no answer to your second question. Yes, I have control, no; I don't have complete control. In fact, I will never have complete control."

"Then how is everything alright?" Michelle pressed.

"Because, I don't need complete control. If I'm in complete control, there will be an imbalance on the fragile scale. My other personality will then fight to gain complete control since the scale will be already corrupt, so the whole fiasco will start over, until a compromise is made to make the scale of control equal. Also, Tiamat has to been thrown into the equation making the balance even more precarious." Amara sighed slightly.

"So, then, what exactly are you saying?"

"I'm saying that everything will- has to been in _Perfect Unity_." She answered with a slight smirk.

"Well, I'm just glad you're back to your old self." Michelle stated leaning back in her chair. "But, there's still one more thing that's bugging me."

"What's that?"

"It was Black Dranzer that burned down our house right?" Amara nodded her confirmation and Michelle continued. "But how could the person who uses Black Dranzer have known that's where we- well, one of us- would be?"

"I told you, Michelle, that the coming of the traitor also meant the coming of Black Dranzer."

"So the traitor will have to be one of the trainees that left," Michelle evaluated.

"Not necessarily,"

"You can't mean that the traitor is Reno or even Ari or someone else of the council!" Michelle exclaimed.

"I'm not leaving that out of the realm of possibility. In fact, the traitor could even be either you or me."

"So now you don't trust me, is that it?" Michelle inquired.

Amara just smirk. "Maybe, maybe not. I'll trust you as much I as trust myself."

"Gee, thanks. What a great friendship we have" Michelle said, taking this part of the conversation in good humor as Amara smirked into her cup, taking another measured sip. She then became serious again. "So what are we to do then?"

"Just be prepared, that's all we can do." Amara closed her eyes and inclined her head, setting down her cup. She opened her eyes and saw Michelle looking at her. _No, not at me. _She then turned around and saw Kai and Rei entering the kitchen.

"Good morning, Michelle, Amara," Rei said as he moved to sit down at the table.

Amara slipped her feet from their footrest and Kai moved to occupy the seat.

"Are you feeling better, Amara?" Rei asked, slightly startling her.

She nodded. "Yeah, thanks." She then blinked and looked from Kai to Rei and back to Kai again and then turned to Michelle. "What are they doing here?" She asked, visibly confused.

Michelle almost laughed at Amara's expression, one she had not seen in a long time. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you, but the BladeBreakers spent the night here."

"Why?"

"Amara, don't get angry," Michelle's face became grave, "but I told them."

"What?" Amara stood up and looked down at Michelle, taking a step back.

"Your actions were starting to reach an extreme and a lot of the times they were directed at the BladeBreakers. They needed to hear what was wrong and they needed to be ready when Black Dranzer came back. Do you see, now, the reason why I told them?"

Amara sighed and sat back down; gazing at her hands that rested in her lap. "I guess it couldn't be helped, I mean it is my fault after all that things have gotten this bad."

"Amara, there's one more thing. Last night, you and Tiamat blinked out of existence. Bahamut could no longer sense you."

"I what?" Amara looked back up at Michelle and thought for a moment. _Was it because I entered my subconscious mind or was it because of the _UnityHer eyes locked with Michelle's icy blue ones, words didn't need to be said; Michelle was scared last night. Amara inclined her head in understanding. Truthfully, she was too.

"Amara, do you remember anything when you came out of the burning house?" Rei asked.

"Not really," Amara said glancing over at Rei. "It's kinda blurry." _Well, actually it isn't, I just don't want to talk about it._

"Did you actually see Black Dranzer?" Kai asked.

Amara looked over at him and nodded. "Yeah, I saw him…"

Kai gazed at Amara. _She seems different. Is it because she had attained _Perfect Unity _and this is who she really is? _The clock chimed 7 o'clock.

"Kai? May I speak with you?" Kai looked over at whom had spoken to him and waited expectantly. But Amara shook her head. "Alone if you don't mind."

The two of them exited the room leaving Michelle and Rei alone. "Would you like something?"

Rei shook his head. "No thanks." He went silent for a moment before continuing. "She really does seem different." Michelle raised an eyebrow. "Considering that I've only known her for so long."

"It's true she is different, but not as much as you think. She's only returned to normal, partially, I might add, so this little trial has left its mark."

Rei chuckled slightly. "So, then, what is Amara's 'normality'? Since she's only somewhat back to her old self."

"A little reserved, a bit rash, mindful, and ever stubborn and even wary of almost everything, afraid of losing control."

"Losing control?"

Michelle nodded. "Not quite like it is now, but, she's never really had any control of her anger once she unleashes it, and it makes it hard for her to tame her power as well, that's when we discovered _Unity_."

"Oh, so that explains it." Rei leaned back in his chair. "I wonder what Kai and her are talking about…"

"Probably getting into a fight if you asked me." Michelle scoffed but it then was replaced by a smirk. "That will be so typical."

Rei laughed. "It seems those two bring out the worst in each other."

* * *

After slipping their shoes on, Amara and Kai headed out of the building. The morning was brisk and cool, their warm breaths misting.

Amara stretched out her arms in front of her as she walked, wincing slightly as the cuts on her back stretched as well. Kai walked along side her, keeping silent.

They walked aimlessly in silence for a while before Kai got annoyed at the quiet. "What is this about? And where are we going?"

Amara glanced over at him, and small smirk appeared, but she made no replied and kept walking. It was so much fun to annoy him. They came upon the park where they first had met and battle. Amara walked over to a bench and sat down glancing about.

Kai sat down next to her and waited, figuring that this was where she was going to explain- whatever it was.

"You know, we're not so different, you and I." She said absently kicking the dew-covered grass. "Both of us has horrors in our past that we hate to talk about or even mention." Her voice went quiet and she spoke so softly that Kai could barely hear her. "And futures that we know can cause only pain." She looked over at Kai.

Kai had only seen her eyes like that once before, that dull and desolate look, and that was at the end of the first day of the tournament. "Stop talking like your fate has been decided."

He had expected her to get angry, to retort, but she did nothing except continue to gaze at him. "But it has been decided." She replied simply.

"Stop acting so weak!" Kai surprised himself by saying that and it seemed to have surprised Amara as well. Her placid green eyes went wide but soon returned to their look.

"Is that what you call this? Is it really weakness?" She gazed at the ground and her hand tightened into a fist. "I'll admit to you that I am afraid, but is it a weakness to admit your fear?" Amara glanced back up at Kai, an amber fire flickering in her eyes.

Kai opened his mouth to say something but closed it soon after catching sight of the fire. Her eyes showed defiance to something unknown but they betrayed her by showing her fear. "What is it that has you so terrified?"

She replied with a small smirk. "I don't think terrified is the right word for it… Afraid, yes. Terrified, no. It's something I can't stop no matter how much I want to. I'm afraid because I know there is nothing I can do." Kai remained silent, weighing her words as she continued, her smirk fading. "I realized its too late to ask for anyone's help… so, just… please stay… I don't want to be alone…"

Kai looked at Amara. It appeared as if she was one who always hid everything from everyone, except those few who were closest to her. But, now, here she was, asking him, an almost complete stranger to stay with her. Kai made no move to leave, and continued to sit in silence next to her.

Amara closed her eyes as she battled with herself. It was a feeling of ambivalence, and she hated being confused. Opening her eyes again she leaned over to Kai and whispered in his ear before standing up and taking her leave.

Kai was left there on the park bench, frozen in place by Amara's words. He watched her departing figure, wondering how she could continue. _She has admitted and accepted her fear. Still, how can she go on, knowing that? _Kai wondered. He stood and left the park, hoping to leave those words behind him there, but they still followed him.

"_The Death Wing isn't known as Death for no reason. However, this time, Death will be taking herself down the road to oblivion. A stranger you may be, but I would rather have a stranger hear my words than Michelle."_

* * *

Soon everyone came to the kitchen for breakfast, even Tyson was up and it only was 8:30 in the morning.

Michelle glanced around at the group that was being to congregate. "Where's Haru?" She asked.

Ari smiled slightly. "After you left to look for Amara, Reno and I ran into him. He said he was going to be out training and wasn't sure if he was coming back to Headquarters when he was done."

"He's more than likely staying with Damian, wherever that kid lives." Reno added.

"You saying you don't know where Damian lives?" Max inquired.

"It's not really our concern. So, we never asked." Ari answered.

"Are you sure that was a good idea?" He pressed.

"With things the way they are now, I'm beginning to doubt our judgement." Michelle replied. "But, what's done is done, there's nothing we can do now." Both Reno and Ari gazed up at Michelle, questionably, but they decided to keep silent.

"Hey! Where's Kai?" Hillary asked, looking about.

"He's out with Amara." Rei answered her.

"What!" Hillary exclaimed and then flushed soon after her outburst. "So, Amara's okay?" She asked changing the subject.

"So, it would seem." Michelle stated.

"Will you two still be battling today?" Tyson asked, unusually serious.

Michelle nodded. "Nothing's going to stop us from finishing." Finding it odd that Tyson seemed… Serious? That couldn't be the right word. Pensive, maybe, but not as extreme as serious.

"Good," Tyson replied. "Because I want to battle you two and show you the power of the World Champion!" He exclaimed jumping to his feet and putting one foot up on a chair to strike a "victorious" pose.

_Should've figured he had something like that in mind. _Michelle kept her other remarks that she was tempted to make to herself as well.

"Sure, Tyson." Max said with a grin on his face.

The front door opened and could be heard as it slammed shut. Amara walked by the entrance to the kitchen and continued on her way, seemingly, to her room.

A minute later the door could be heard as it opened again, and everyone expected Kai to appear but they were mistaken this time.

Damian and Haru entered and both took a semiconscious step back as their eyes fell on the BladeBreakers.

Haru turned to Michelle; his steel eyes baring a questioning look. "What are they doing here?"

"They are here as guests. They spent the night because of circumstances." Michelle answered. Haru knew better than to ask what those circumstances were, so he kept silent. "The invitation was only for last night." She assured him but also said this pointedly at the group in question.

Rei nodded his understanding. Besides, right now, they were competitors and it just wasn't right for rivals to be in association for too long.

Kai then walked into the room; his entrance into the house was unnoticed. "We're leaving. Now." He said with finality so that no one would try to contradict him.

However, Tyson did have to get his last word in. "But, Kai-"

"Tyson. Now." With that said, Kai left, leaving the BladeBreakers speechless in the kitchen.

"Well, I guess that means we should be leaving." Rei said as he stood. He looked at Michelle and smiled lightly. "Thanks for letting us stay the night. We'll see you later today." He bowed and left, going to the room he accommodated to retrieve any of his belongings.

"See you later!" Tyson left with a grinning Max at his heels, who gave a polite bow before exiting.

Hillary left without a word and soon Kenny was the only left amongst the Wingz Corp. he regarded them all. "It was nice meeting you and thank you for letting us stay the night. I guess we will see each other at the tournament. Bye." He bowed and left. Once reaching the hallway Dizzi could be heard. "Interesting group, that one."

Within a few minutes, the BladeBreakers presence left the building.

"Well things seem to have died down now." Reno stated off-handedly.

The Wingz Corp then fell silent until Damian spoke up. "So what were the circumstances that they had to stay here?"

Michelle opened her mouth to answer but another voice cut her off. "That's not of your concern, Damian." They all turned to see Amara standing in the threshold of the door that led into the kitchen. "Michelle, we have a battle to prepare for."

Michelle leaned back in her chair. "Yeah, yeah." She stood up and stretched. Turning to Reno, Ari, Damian, and Haru, she shrugged. "We might be back later, or we might just head straight to the stadium." She walked over to Amara and nodded and the two of them left.

The four watched the two's departure, and remained silent until they heard the slamming of the front door. Ari let out a small chuckle. "Those two."

Reno turned to her, an eyebrow raised. "What about them?"

Ari sighed, "Honestly, guys can be so naïve at times,"

Those said guys happened to turn to give an Ari an incredulous look. "What do you mean by 'naïve', Ari?" Reno asked.

Ari just put a finger to her lips and smiled. Her smile was a smile that you would find on an angel, albeit a mischievous one at that. "I think I'll just keep that to myself."

* * *

Amara and Michelle walked side-by-side, their cloaks draped over their shoulders. Michelle kept glancing at Amara out of the corner of her eye. _Great, now something else is troubling her. _She thought sarcastically. "So, how did your talk with Kai go?" Amara just scoffed in reply. "Well, then, what did you two talk about?"

"Just setting some stuff straight." Amara half-lied.

"Right." Silence. "You like Kai don't you?"

"No," Amara answered; her replied was a rather apathetic response. "I don't like him, I hate him." _I've already told him too much, that's why I can't stand him. _"However, I don't think the same could be said for you and Rei, right?"

Michelle looked away, turning to hide her blushed face. "N-No." She stammered.

Amara snickered. "Is that sunburn, or are you blushing Michelle?"

Michelle couldn't put a sentence together in embarrassment. Instead, she crossed her arms over her chest and picked up her walking pace. "Are you coming or what?" She asked, acting impatient.

"I'm coming." Amara replied keeping her stride the same. She watched Michelle's back, which was a few steps ahead of her. _I don't like Kai. He knows that my time is almost expired and he knows that I am afraid. But, do I really hate him? _

_Hmph, you really think too much for your own good. _Her voice in her head countered.

_I'll have to agree. _Tiamat commented. _Just stay focused. Don't let it get to you._

_Enough already! Stop bugging me about it! _Amara closed off her thoughts from the two and continued her walk in silence.

* * *

"Welcome back everyone to another exciting match of Beyblading!"

"This is Brad Best along with A.J. Topper, bringing all you folks at home exclusive coverage."

"Today is the battle between the mysterious bladers of Wingz Corp team 1, Amara Hirokami and Michelle Katsumonu againstMarty Rain and Vincent Gail of the X-Factors." A.J. announced.

"Looks like both teams are ready to get things started." Brad commented.

Vincent studied his opponents with a wary eye while Marty waved to the crowd. "Marty stop messing around. We have to be careful with these two."

Marty shot Vincent a scathing look. "You don't need to tell me that. I already know that they will be a challenge. I'm just not letting it affect me is all. Plus, I'm not messing around, I'm just giving the crowd a greeting."

Vincent rolled his eyes. _Marty will be Marty. _He thought, before turning back to face his opposition.

Michelle nodded to Vincent, since he was looking over at them and figured it would be polite. Their warm-ups before coming really got the blood flowing and she was ready for anything. However, she was slightly worried about Amara, who seemed to be in discomfort with her back. Nevertheless, that was Amara's problem, not hers.

"I'm going first," Amara announced since they had not decided before hand. She walked up to the launch pad and waited for her competition.

Marty strode over, his actions declaring that he would battle this one.

"Bladers are you ready?" The ref asked and the only answers he received were the intense look on the combatants and the readying of their blades. "3! 2! 1! Let it rip!"

"Go Tiamat!" Amara shouted as she released her blade into the dish, ignoring the burning on her back.

"Let's do this!" Marty yelled as he urged his blue blade to charge Amara's ebony black one. His blade slammed into hers, forcing it back. "Keep it up!"

* * *

The BladeBreakers watched from the stands. A frustrated Kenny pulled at his hair. "I don't get it! After all the compiling of data on Amara's blade, it shouldn't even be pushed back by Marty's, let alone be touched by it!"

"Take it easy, Chief!" Dizzi spoke up. "It's not just the blade that takes part in these battles, it's the blader as well. If the blader doesn't have his heart in the battle neither will the blade."

"Dizzi's right, Kenny." Rei said. "Amara's probably just worn out from last night's predicament. That's why she's not blading up to standards."

"If she's not careful, she could actually lose this battle." Max evaluated.

"I doubt it would get that bad." Tyson put in. "After seeing some of the stuff she and Michelle can accomplish, I don't think that she would lose this battle."

Kenny sighed, glancing through the data yet again.

* * *

"Are you just going to sit there?" Marty yelled across the dish to Amara. "I was expecting an intense battle, but this is unacceptable!"

Amara moved her gaze up to his and her eyes narrowed menacingly. "You want me to do something now? Fine, I'll do something. Tiamat, finish him." The obsidian blade replied to the command by pushing back against Marty's blade. It recoiled away before charging forward again to knock the blue blade out of the dish. "There, are you happy now? I did something. Too bad you couldn't do anything to save yourself from losing the battle." The black blade returned to Amara's hand and she walked away.

"And the winner is Amara of Wingz Corp!" The ref announced.

"That was an interesting battle." A.J. stated.

"It sure was. Not what we expected to happen, though. Not quite like the start of this tournament, huh A.J.?" Brad asked.

"Nothing even close to that. Well, it looks like Vincent and Michelle are ready to battle."

"Bladers to their marks. 3! 2! 1! Let it rip!" Michelle and Vincent launched at the same time, their blades touching down in the dish at the exact same moment.

Bahamut took a defensive position in the center of the dish and remained there while Vincent's blade circled it.

Vincent watched his opponent with a wary expression. His scrutinizing gaze checking for any defects in her defense. He clenched his fists tightly. _Her defense is perfect! I can't detect any fault!_

"Is something the matter, Vincent?" Michelle asked. "Don't you want to battle me? If you do, stop circling and make an attempt."

Vincent almost glowered at her, but he kept it in. _She knows that I can't find a weakness. She's just mocking me! _While his thoughts were filled with anger on the inside, outside he remained passive.

"Since you won't make the first move, I will." Michelle stated. Her blade seemed to pick up velocity, sending forth gusts of wind around it. It charged forward and crashed into Vincent's blade that was making another pass, knocking it back. It wavered slightly before regaining its bearings. However, its reprieve didn't last long since Bahamut went into a frontal assault, driving it back and tearing down the blade's defense ring.

With a one last blow, Michelle's blade struck Vincent's blade and knocked it out of the dish. Michelle smirked slightly as Bahamut returned to her hand.

"Michelle is the winner!" The ref announced, while the crowd broke out in cheers. They were a little disappointed at the lack of intensity, but they still enjoyed the match.

"Not quite what we expected from these two," Brad commented.

"But a win's and win and team 1 of Wingz Corp move to the next round! We'll see all you folks tomorrow for more exciting battles of Beyblade when Team 2 of Wingz Corp challenges the reigning Champions Tyson and Max of the BladeBreakers!" A.J. concluded.

* * *

A/N: Sorry this took so long to update, I've been busy and such but guess what? Since I took so long on this one I have the next chapter all ready as well. Yup, you heard right so go ahead and click on the little arrow on the right head bottom of the screen to head to the next chapter! The next one will be a little shorter but oh well. Happy readings! 


	6. Chapter 6

Amara sat in silence on the bench in the locker room, waiting for Michelle to make sure everything was back to the way it was before.

Michelle cast one more glance around the room and nodded. "Okay, you ready?" She didn't receive any answer except for a small "Hn," as Amara stood up and headed for the door.

The two exited and walked down the empty halls. Michelle was the first to speak up. "Okay, I've about had it with the silent treatment," She stopped and grabbed Amara's shoulders and turned her to face her. "Something is definitely eating away at you and its something out of the ordinary that has nothing to do with beyblading and all that has been happening."

Amara glared at her before averting her gaze. "I don't know…" She answered in a small voice. _Why am I so confused? Why did Michelle have to bring the subject up before the match? _

Michelle removed her hands from Amara's shoulders. _Well at least she didn't explode or anything… I don't think we would've been able to handle the damage expenses. Obviously, it's something that never before happened to her, or maybe it's just the stress of having two extra residential opinions in her mind. _She sighed mentally. "Well, I at least hope that Damian and Haru give a good show tomorrow."

Something clicked in Amara's mind suddenly; she didn't know what it was, sort of like déjà vu, but she couldn't remember. Michelle noted there was an increasingly familiar flicker of amber in her green eyes as Amara turned back to face. "I'm positive they will. C'mon, let's go."

* * *

Back at Tyson's home, Tyson and Max were getting ready for tomorrow's match. Or more like Tyson was bouncing off the walls declaring he was the Champion and Max was grinning widely as he watched his partner. Technically, their battle didn't start until a good 22 hours had passed, but Tyson said he wanted to be prepared for anything. And so, this was one of his techniques for getting ready.

The door to Tyson's room slid open. Grandpa stood in the threshold with his bamboo sword in hand, pointing it directly at Tyson, who had stopped bouncing to find its point inches from his nose. "I see since you have so much energy, you can continue your training!"

Tyson laughed. "Sorry, Gramps!" He slipped under the sword and by Grandpa making an escape leaving Max behind.

Max watched, with the grin still upon his face as Grandpa dashed after Tyson. His grin soon faded, as the thought of his battle tomorrow seemed to loom over every thought. _Draciel, why do I feel like something bad is going to happen? _He chuckled vainly. _I think I'm just nervous. Must be because since I've seen how strong Michelle and Amara are, that I'm worried that Damian and Haru will be just as strong. That must be it!_ Max finally decided. With a curt nod to himself, he walked out of Tyson's room and went out to the backyard where he found Tyson still being chased by Grandpa and it seemed he wasn't the only spectator.

"Hey, Max!" Kenny called. "Bring Draciel over here. I want to see if I can add some more modifications to your blade to give a sturdier defense as well as a good offense."

Max walked over, pulled his green blade out from his pocket, and handed it to Kenny, who abruptly plopped down on the porch and opened his laptop.

"Watching Tyson never ceases to amuse me." Remarked Dizzi.

"Hey, Kenny, where's Rei and Kai? Did they decide not to come?" Max asked as he glanced around. He winced as he saw grandpa slam the sword over Tyson's head, who soon broke out in protests.

"They said something about training. I wanted to help but I got the distinct impression that they wanted to be alone." Kenny replied, not once looking up from his computer.

"Oh," Max said simply.

* * *

"Go, Drigger!" Rei shouted as he released his blade and made a landed on the ground, bringing up a whirlwind of dust and grass. A blue blade circled around it as if evaluating it.

Kai remained impassive as he watched his opponent then turning his gaze to the battle. After all the times he faced his teammates he began to understand their strategies and was able to put everything in effect. Then again, all those years at the abbey had to amount for something. His eyes narrowed in thought. _Amara is too much of an enigma. Although she keeps the same base strategy, her tactics are still unpredictable. _

"Drigger, Tiger Claw!" Rei's voice broke through Kai's thoughts. Drigger slammed into Kai's Dranzer, sending him reeling back on his heels.

Kai's foot slid back to help him keep his balance. He mentally berated himself for losing his concentration.

"What's up, Kai?" Rei asked. "You never get this distracted."

"I'm fine, just drop it." Kai retorted.

Rei held up his hands in a signal of peace. "I'm not trying to pry, I'm just worried about my friend, that's all."

Kai scoffed at Rei's comment, their beybattle seemingly left forgotten.

Rei sighed. _Does he still not trust us as friends? After everything that's happened. Maybe finding out that Voltaire's back in the equation it's putting him a little on the edge that just has to be it. _Rei called Drigger back to his hand, ending the battle. "C'mon on, Kai, you're obviously too distracted to be much of a challenge," Kai glared. "So let's just head back to Tyson's and see what Chief can do for our blades.''

Dranzer returned to Kai's hand and he pocketed his blade. He brushed past Rei and went on his way. Rei jogged over to walk along side him as they made their way back to Tyson's.

* * *

"_Have you come to meet your fate, Death?"_

'_No…'_

"_You can not escape."_

'_You don't know that…'_

"_Try all you want, it is inevitable,"_

'_Shut up. Shut up.'_

"_Look at how weak you are. You can't even protect the ones you care for the most. You are pathetic. They all died because of you; anyone who gets close to you will meet their end. You are Death incarnate. Anyone who comes into contact with you will die and it will be your fault."_

'_No, it's not true. It's not. IT'S NOT TRUE!'_

_A battle. Blood and darkness. It's cold. It burns. Tiamat gone. Dranzer victorious. Laughter. Mocking. Taunting. A rushing wind. Piercing. Everything burns and freezes. Tiamat's form lays still. Wings broken. Wingz mangled. A dark silhouette. Black armor. Fear. A looming shadow. Pain. Michelle, gone. Ari, broken. Reno, flame has left. Haru, colder. Tyson, lost. Max, piteous. Rei, honor-less. Kai…Imagines flashing by. A forest. Corruption. The dark shadow, dimming. Lost. Coldness. Alone. Death. _

"_Goodbye, Death Wing." A different voice from before, familiar but it seemed to come from the outside. "Be pleased to know that it was I who killed you."_

* * *

Amara snapped awake and started to shake uncontrollably. She moved to a seated position and pulled her legs up to her chest, hugging them tightly, trying to control her convulsions. She was in her room, rested on her bed atop of the covers. She still had her cloak on, not bothering with taking it off when she entered her room.

It was only four o'clock in the afternoon. Seemingly, she had headed straight to her room when they returned from the stadium and fallen asleep once she hit the bed.

When she stopped shaking, she pulled her knees even closer to her chest. _I-I'm afraid… Who was it? Who was it that spoke to me?_

* * *

"Hey, Damian! Snap out of it!" Damian was thrown back into reality as someone shouted those words close to his ear and shook him by his shoulders. His eyes focused on Reno. "Wha-?"

"Talk about zoning out," Ari stated.

Damian smiled sheepishly as he rubbed the back of his head. "Sorry, I was just… thinking about tomorrow's match."

Michelle gazed skeptically at Damian, something was wrong. "Are you sure that's what you were thinking about?" She asked with a slight glare.

Damian leaned back in his chair a held up his hands in a placating gesture. "Okay. So maybe I wasn't all that truthful with that statement, but I seriously was thinking about tomorrow's match, it's just I was also thinking about how Amara's doing. She seems a little… well a little off as of late."

Ari and Reno laughed while Michelle chuckled. "If Amara was here right now, she'd probably kick your ass for that comment." Michelle commented.

"I didn't mean it like that!" Damian assured. "Haru, help me out here!" He turned over to his partner who was standing quietly off to the side of the dining room while the others sat at the table.

"You're on your own," Was his reply.

Damian stuck out his tongue in a childish gesture.

The group continued their playful banter while Michelle went silent. _A warning? Something ominous, but I can't seem to place it._

_Michelle? _Bahamut's voice spoke. _What is wrong?_

_I don't know, Bahamut, I just don't know. When Damian zoned out, I got a strange feeling, but I don't know what it was._

_Let's just hope that it will be something we can handle._

_Yeah. But, truthfully, I haven't been a big fan of hoping._

* * *

Amara slipped out of Headquarters unnoticed. She had caught pieces of the conversation between the others, and Michelle was right, if she were there, she would have kicked Damian's ass. However, that was if she was actually a part of the conversation and not trying to sneak out.

Stepping outside she slipped through random alleyways. Pulling up the cowl of her cloak and made her way around town, aimlessly. She found herself in the bustling section of the town, crowds rushing about in the 4 o'clock frenzy. Many of the peoples were chatting animatedly about the upcoming beybattles and the World Championship.

"I heard that there will be two teams from almost every country that will participate and that there will be some sort of point system." One young man was saying.

"The BladeBreakers are already in the tournament so even if they lose this tournament they still have a place in the Championships." His partner next to him replied. The two didn't notice the cloaked figure that brushed past them.

"Yeah, I hope that that one team from Wingz Corp makes it!" The first exclaimed.

"The one with Amara and Michelle?"

"Yeah, that one!"

Their voices faded in the sound of passing cars as Amara walked further away. She was almost tempted to sigh, but shook her head briskly. _Now is not the time sigh and wish everything would turn out okay. _She scolded herself as she walked up the steps leading up to the bridge that crossed over the busy street.

Walking to the center of the bridge, she leaned forward on the rail gazing down at the passing cars. She tuned out everything, ignoring the people passing by behind her and the rushing cars below her. Everything was soon just gone.

Amara didn't know how long she stood out there, but when she came back to reality the sky was dark and the roads were empty. The last car she had seen was a black limousine that drove rather slowly as it approached the bridge she was standing on before heading on its way.

"What are you doing out here?"

Amara instinctively tensed at the sound of the person's voice. "That's none of your business, Kai." She replied coldly. Kai came up beside her and leaned against the rail as well. The two of them stood in silence; both were too stubborn to say something first.

_Stubborn. _They both had thought in regard towards the other.

"What do you want?" Amara finally gave in and asked.

Kai didn't answer her.

"If you don't know what you want then leave!" She snarled at him.

Kai turned to fixate a glare on her. "If it bothers you so much why don't you leave?"

"Because I was here first!" She snapped back. _What are we four-year olds, arguing like this?_

"That's some lame excuse," Kai scoffed.

"Better than what you could come up with." Amara countered.

"Hn,"

"Whatever."

The two stood there in silence, glaring at each other for a few more moments.

"I hate you," Amara said out of nowhere. "I can't stand you. You already know too much about me and I can't stand you for that." Kai just stared at her. _I hate him! I can't stand him! But, why, why do I feel so comfortable around him, even when I'm arguing? I don't understand!_

"Amara, pulled back your hood,"

Amara blinked, her pervious ranting forgotten. After a moment of stunned silence she reached up and pulled back the cowl. "And what was the point of that?"

"It's easier to argue with you when I can see your face." Kai replied nonchalantly.

"Whatever," She said as she glowered at him.

"I don't see why you feel like you have to hide all the time." Kai pushed away from the rail and started to walk off.

"I hide because it's what I've been doing all my life, Kai." Amara answered to his departing back. "I think you could relate to that in one way or another."

Kai stopped and turned to face her to realize that she had disappeared. "Hn," He turned back around and headed on his way back to Tyson's where Rei had convinced him to spend the night.

* * *

Before Amara had answered Kai, she hoisted herself up on the railing. "I hide because it's what I've been doing all my life, Kai. I think you could relate to that in one way or another." She said and jumped down into the street below before Kai turned to face her. She landed in a cat-like crouch on the street and moved to conceal herself in the shadows underneath the bridge. There she waited a few moments.

After those moments had past, she stepped out from under the bridge to find that Kai was nowhere in sight. Amara decided to start heading back to Headquarters. As she started on her way, she looked up and saw a black limousine waiting at the next intersection. She tilted her head slightly to the side. _Is that the same one from earlier? _Her green eyes narrowed suspiciously as they flickered with amber. Reaching behind her head, she the cowl of her cloak back up over her head.

_Tiamat, something's not right._

_I sense it as well._

_Be on guard. _Her other self warned from the back of her mind.

Amara headed over to the sidewalk and went on her way, passing in front of the vehicle trying to catch a glimpse of someone in the tinted windows. Having no such luck, she kept on walking but kept her guard up as she made her way back to Headquarters.

* * *

A/N: So this one was a little shorter than the pervious one but be happy you got two chapters instead of just one! Anyway, if you like my story, drop a comment. Don't be afraid to offer up ideas or anything, in fact I might need a few ideas coming up later on… So, yeah. Hoped you enjoyed! Now reviewer replies from Chapter 4!

Fire spirit of hell: "Don't worry, I won't stop updating, I just might a lil sidetrack is all. Heh. I'm glad you like my story and I'm glad you like Strata's as well!"

Fushicho Hime: "Glad you think Kai carrying her was cool lol. Kai vs. Brooklyn? I haven't seen it yet and I probably wont! cries No! My friend was taping the episodes for me on ABC Family but she said they stopped and now I can't watch Kai! No!"

Observaant- not mean: "Glad you think the Unity thing is cool. And its okay if you're too lazy to review the other chapters, I'm like thatsometimes as well hehe"

Twisted Whiskers: "Thanks for loving this! I guess that one was a little long but so is Chapter 5. I'll do my best to live up to standards!"


	7. Chapter 7

It was Day 4 of the week of the Tournament. The day Max and Tyson have been looking forward to. The day where they would face off against the unknowns Haru and Damian. A great day indeed.

Kenny chuckled to himself. He had no idea where that little bit of phrasing came from. He believed it would have been more funny to see that in writing, rather than hearing himself think it. Returning to his task set out before him, he added the last minute adjustments to Dragoon and Draciel. Perfect.

"Kenny!" A shout came from outside his room and the insistent banging against his bedroom door.

"Chief, you better hurry before he breaks down the poor door." Dizzi warned.

Kenny hopped down from his desk chair and quickly unlocked the door to his room (saving his door from anymore abuse) to find Tyson waiting outside, his leg pulled back, seemingly ready to actually kick down his door. "Tyson!" he said, exasperated. "Can't you be a little bit more patient?"

"Nah-uh," Tyson replied. "Is Dragoon ready?" Cutting straight to the point.

"Have to give him credit for being blunt." Dizzi remarked, reading Kenny's thoughts.

"Yes, yes." Kenny held out the blade to Tyson, who eagerly grabbed it to examine.

"Wow, Chief! This is so awesome!" Tyson complimented. "C'mon, c'mon, the others are waiting. Let's go, let's go!" Tyson started pulling on Kenny's arm. "Knowing Kai, he probably already left because he thinks we're taking too long. So, let's go!"

Kenny was able to free himself from Tyson's grasp, pull on his shoes and grab Dizzi. He followed Tyson who bolted down the stairs of his house, yelled a goodbye to his parents and met with the others outside his home.

Tyson was correct. Kai already had left, but he wasn't the only one who wasn't there. Rei had gone too.

"Max, here's Draciel." Kenny said handing him his green blade.

"Thanks, Chief." Max said, grateful.

Tyson glanced around. "Rei left as well?"

Hillary nodded. "He left with Kai. I think they needed to talk about something, at least that's my assumption."

Tyson inclined his head in thought, before a giant grin broke across his face. "Onward to victory!" He said pointing a finger in the direction of the stadium.

Max bounded over to him, laughing. "Alright!"

Hillary and Kenny watched the two friends as they shook their heads in amusement before the four of them (five if you wanted to count Dizzi) headed off to the stadium.

* * *

Michelle and Amara watched Haru and Damian head off to the locker rooms to prepare for the match. The stadium seemed unearthly quiet, as if some dark presence loomed over it. The quiet wasn't because of the very few people that were there, for even with that few of people their exclaims and talking would be still be considered loud. It was a silence that was only noticed by Amara and Michelle. For the silence's source came from them.

The two of them walked up the stairs to the mezzanine overlooking the arena. Both didn't speak, since they were lost in their own thoughts.

Last night when Amara had returned, she had told Michelle about the black limousine, how it felt like it was waiting, watching for her. Both had different impressions about what to think of the news, but they both at last came to an agreeing conclusion. BioVolt.

Steadily, the stadium began to fill as the two watched for their place, leaning against the rail. Familiar faces shone through the crowd.

Michelle straightened slightly when she saw the telltale long black hair that was pulled back and wrapped in cloth, the headband and the Chinese garb.

Bahamut chuckled silently; however, Michelle could still hear him. _Quiet. _She commanded.

_Why should I? _Bahamut asked, entertained.

Michelle didn't even bother to answer that knowing that Bahamut would just have more fun teasing her. She sighed and relaxed again, ignoring the chuckling dragon in the back of her mind. She glanced over at Amara, who was seated comfortably atop the rail, legs dangling over the edge.

Amara seemed outwardly relaxed, poise, and just plain calm. Her eyes shifted about, the only thing that belied her equilibrium, since they shone slightly amber and wary.

"Amara?" She shifted her gaze over to Michelle. "What is it?"

"Just a feeling," Amara answered, "A bad one." _We can't let Michelle suspect anything about what's going to happen._

_Forgive me. _Tiamat said suddenly.

_For what?_

_It is my fault that you saw what you saw when we achieved _Perfect Unity._ My fault because I am a symbol of death and corruption that you had to see._

Michelle watched Amara intently. She noticed her green eyes were slightly glazed over which meant she was having a conversation with her bit beast.

_Don't worry. It's all right. In fact, I'm somewhat glad that I was able to see my death. Yes, I am scared, but at least I am prepared. And I won't be going down without one hell of a fight._

_And I'll be sure to help you with that. _Her counterpart remarked. Amara could practically see the sadistic grin on her face, probably because it graced her lips as well.

Michelle raised an eyebrow when she saw a slow grin spread across Amara's lips and a small flash of amber that flickered briefly in her forest green eyes. She inwardly groaned. Amara + sadistic grin + amber eyes + conversing with Tiamat Amara planning something.

Amara closed her eyes and opened them again to find Michelle regarding her curiously. She blinked. "What?"

"You're not planning something, are you?" Michelle asked.

_Was I that obvious?_

_Well, with my grin upon your face, I wouldn't doubt it. _Her counterpart answered.

_Wonderful. _"I'm just thinking." Amara replied with a shrug. _So much for trying to remain inconspicuous. _

"Welcome to our next match! This is Brad best along with A.J. Topper to bring you all the excitement." The announcer's voice interrupted any idea of continuing the conversation.

"We have all the excitement here, because this is one of those long awaited matches. The World Champions Tyson and Max against the remarkable unknowns Haru and Damian!" A.J. remarked.

"But first we have a word from the Head Chairman of the BBA Mr. Dickinson!"

All eyes turn to the center of the arena where Mr. Dickinson stood. "I sure all you are wondering on how the Championships will be held this year. The other participating countries have held a tournament like this one here in Japan, to decide the first and second place winners who will continue on to the Championships that will be held here. So the winner and runner-up of this tournament will continue on to Finals. The Defending Champions already have an assured spot in the finals even if they lose in this tournament. The Finals will take place all over the world, moving from different participating countries, namely China, America, Europe, Russia and then back here. Points will be award to the teams on how they do in each tournament that will determine their ranking in the Championship Finals. Now, let's get on to the battle." The crowd broke out into a roar.

"You've heard it here, folks." Brad said. "Back to the action and let's meet our combatants."

"First up we have Tyson and Max from the BladeBreakers!" A.J. announced as Tyson and Max made their way to the dish. "And on the east side of the arena we have Haru and Damian from Wingz Corp!" The crowd yelled and cheered as the two teams made their way to face off against each other.

"Who will face off against whom?" Brad asked. "Which players will take the step to challenge each other?"

"Brad, enough of the dramatics." A.J. teased.

"Tyson, I'll go." Max said as he took a step forward gripping Draciel tightly in his hand.

"Okay, Max." Tyson said, noticing the sudden seriousness that overtook his normally cheerful friend and teammate.

Haru studied the opposing team and without so much of a glance at Damian he simply stated, "I'm going." He took a step forward and clutched his own blade in his hand.

Damian watched his partner and noticed the tight grip he had on his blade along with the sliver studs on his black gloves that glinted dangerously. Haru pulled off his leather jacket and let it fall to the floor as he walked forward in only a loose white tank top that revealed the well-defined muscles about his upper body.

The two opponents reached their launching platforms at the same time and there they store each other down. Max's bright blue eyes against Haru's steel ones.

"Looks like the match is about begin." A.J. stated.

"You're a mystery, you know that?" Haru said suddenly. Max blinked. "You smile despite everything, you always find something to smile about."

Max couldn't help himself and grinned slightly. "I look for the good things in life and when things go bad it is better to face them with a smile then to face them with darkness in your heart."

The corner of Haru's mouth twitched ever so slightly. "You are naïve then. Life isn't that wonderful. You smile because you don't know and that's why in a way I envy you. You don't know the what the real world is like and that's why you're lucky."

* * *

Michelle and Amara didn't have to hear what Haru was saying, they understood already. When Haru first came to their group, he was always quiet, passive even. His eyes were always cold and empty, absolutely no warmth within their depths. But the more time he spent with the Wingz Corp, he opened more and once he almost even smiled.

Haru had confided in Amara and Michelle about his past and it was almost as bad as their own. Before he held no emotions, like an empty-less machine, as cold as the metal it was made out of and he always kept that with him.

Michelle watched sadly as the match was about to start, the two challengers finishing their little conversation. Much of the crowd figured that the two fighters were throwing insults at each other instead of holding a serious exchange. _Haru…_

* * *

"What do you mean by 'lucky'?" Max asked confusion plastered across his face.

Haru shrugged. "You just are. Now what do you say that we get this fight started?" Bringing up his blade.

"Couldn't agree with you more." Max replied with his blade held out before him.

"Looks like our bladers are ready to get this match started." The ref announced. "Bladers to your marks. 3! 2! 1! Let it rip!"

"Go, Draciel!" Max yelled as he released his blade a split second behind Haru. His green blade circled about, keeping a defensive strategy.

Haru's silver and gray blade stayed to the outside of the dish, keeping its distance. His gaze glanced about the blading dish, watching Draciel.

"It seems like this is going to be a defensive bey battle." A.J. commented.

"How long are we going to play this game?" Haru asked. "I think it's time to take this up to the next level. Solus (Latin- _solus _"alone")!" A gust of wind rose about Haru's blade and a pillar of light shot forth for the center of his blade. A lynx emerged from the light and stalked around the dish, the silver blade beneath mimicking the movement.

Max took a step back at the sight of the bit beast. "No way…" He whispered. The lynx before him was not just some sacred beast. At the joint of the right shoulder, the brown fur ceased and shifted into metallic that stretched into the shoulder blade and out into a steel mechanical wing.

"I think it's time for a new introduction. I'm Haru Sohma the Metal Wing and my bit beast is Solus a hybrid lynx as you can tell by the wing." He bowed almost mockingly. "Now I suggest that you pull out Draciel or else you'll get beat."

Max went quiet as he examined his opponent, his face was no longer smiling but thoughtful. "Draciel! Let's do this!" His green blade started to pick up speed as a beast emerged from the centerpiece. The tortoise placed itself in the center of the ring on a defensive position.

"Your tactics aren't going to work here Max." Haru stated. "Especially because of this! _Unity!_" Solus roared and its wings stretched out to their full extent. A light surrounded Haru and he was soon engulfed in it. A moment later, Haru appeared. He didn't come out wearing a full plate of armor like Amara or Michelle's, instead he had chain mail links instead of his tank top, his legs had metallic shin guards, and his left arm was covered in an armament that went from his wrist to elbow. However, it was his right arm that called for the most attention. Instead of flesh and blood, it was replace by steel and wires and had an almost skeletal look to it. The wing on his left was the earthy colored feathers of a hawk while the other was like Solus' right one, a metal one.

Solus did not need a spoken command from his partner; he went into a barrage of attacks, coming at Draciel from every possible angle.

Max started to find it hard to breathe. "Draciel, we can do this. Just hang in there!" Draciel seemed to find strength in Max's words and held its ground against Solus' attacks.

"Max! You can win! I know you can!" Tyson called from behind him.

Damian watched the fight in silence, analyzing the battle.

"Haru," Max started to regain his footing. "I don't what happened to you in the past that gives you such a bleak outlook on life and causes you to envy me, but the way you're living now, it's no way to live. You can't be so emotionless all the time." Draciel started to counterattack against Solus. "There's more to life."

Haru made a sound. Max couldn't tell if it was a chuckle or a scoff. "You truly believe in those words, don't you? It's proven by your bit beast's reaction. As you spoke, your Draciel started to fight back showing that it also believes those words. Now, let me give you a little lesson on what exactly a bit beast is. A bit beast is a part of your soul or being, it reacts to your emotions, whether for good or not. It is basically your reflection in a form of a sacred beast. But not all beasts are sacred ones, there are those that are corrupt and I'm sure that you can already think of one. Finding a bit beast is not just by chance, it's predetermined. Solus chose me as I chose Solus because of our beliefs and of things that happened. And from what I can tell, you and Draciel chose each other. Because you both believe in a better life and you would do anything to protect something and you probably could throw in a little bit of naivety into the mix." Haru shrugged. "I liked what you said, but I just can't believe it, not yet at least." Both he and Solus slipped into an attack position. "However, it's not going to save you from defeat."

Max's eyes widened. "Draciel!"

"Solus! Echo Shock!" Electricity began to build up around Haru and his blade. His silver blade seemed to disappear in a flash of lightning. Lightning streaks crackled through Haru's metal wing and arm.

The only hint of the silver blade's passing was an afterimage of lightning as it continued its onslaught against Draciel. Each hit that landed sent shock waves through the green blade and Max could feel the tingling feeling of the electricity.

The last hit resulted in a small explosion that threw up a screen of dirt and dust and when it finally cleared, a green blade laid still while a silver continued to spin.

Haru's wings disappeared, as did the rest of his armor and his blade returned to his hand. He didn't even register the announcement of the ref, "And the winner is Haru of Wingz Corp!" He climbed down into the dish and picked up his opponent blade and walked over to his side of the ring.

Max looked down at his blade in Haru's hand as he offered it up to him. He smiled and accepted the blade, ignoring the slight shock he received when his hand brushed against Haru's when he grabbed his blade. He also ignored the fact that his hair was standing slightly on end. "Good match, Haru." He kept his grin.

Haru just nodded in reply and turned to return to his side. Max could've sworn he saw a faint smirk as Haru turned to walk away.

Tyson came running up to him. "Max! You okay? That was a great fight, in spite of things! But don't worry, I'll be sure to win the next match!" He ranted.

Max grinned at his partner. "You bet, Tyson. Just be wary when you fight."

"No prob, buddy! I got this one!" Tyson walked passed Max and took his place on the launching platform.

"That was match one that ended with a win for Wingz Corp." Brad said. "Will Damian finish things with another win or will we have to play another round?"

"We can only wait and see, Brad," A.J. replied.

"I've set the stage, Damian. Don't screw up." Haru said as he walked by his partner.

"Such confidence." Damian replied. If Haru would've looked back to see the expression on his comrade's face he probably would have been surprised. Damian's visage held a cocky sneer towards Tyson and probably towards the rest of the world. He was no longer the mild mannered beginner at Wingz Corp, but something completely different. He took his place across from Tyson, ready for the battle to start.

* * *

Kenny was still gawking at the readout from Max and Haru's battle Dizzi was equally impressed. "That bit beast of his is strange, and when he did that _Unity _trick his own arm became mechanical!" Dizzi was saying.

"Personally, I think that guy is just plain creepy. He's almost like Kai, so cold and emotionless." Hillary remarked.

Rei leaned over to gaze at Hillary who was sitting on the other side of Kenny. "You do realized that Kai is sitting over here and can hear you, right?" He asked. Hillary flushed slightly, now wishing she hadn't said that aloud.

Kai just ignored them; he really didn't care what they thought. He gaze was fixed on Damian. Something was off about him, but Kai just couldn't figure out what it was. And it was annoying him to no end.

"Rei, check this out." Kenny said, turning his laptop so Rei could see the screen better. "When Haru pulled off his 'Echo Shock' attack, watch what happens. I'll slow it up for you."

Rei watch the screen, his eyes gradually getting wider with each passing moment. "That's…" He could not even find the right word to describe. Amazing, strange, incredible, awesome, unsettling, unbelievable all came to mind but none seemed to fit.

"What is it?" Kai asked, turning to face them.

Rei picked up the laptop from Kenny's lap and pressed replay to show Kai what was just shown to him.

Kai watched in silence and when the clipped finished he remarked, "The name of the attack is appropriate. His blade never moved from its spot, it just picked up more than enough speed to make it seem invisible."

"But then, what about the blade that was attacking Draciel?" Kenny asked, confused on where this was going.

"Like the name of the attack implies, it's nothing more than an echo. With the spin of a blade, a certain sound is created; different style of blade a different sound. When Haru's blade reached a point where it's spin would render it invisible, and with the energy from both the blader and the bit beast, it was able to send out an echo. It was too high of a tone for our ears to hear, but we could see the results it brought. The echo was charged with enough energy to move at the speed of sound and to cause damage." Kai explained.

"I, of course, figured that out already," Dizzi gloated. "I was just waiting for you guys to put the puzzle together."

Kenny took back his laptop. "Sure, Dizzi." He replied incredulously.

* * *

Amara and Michelle were both impressed by the match between Haru and Max. "Seems like Haru came up with a new trick." Michelle commented. "I'll have to challenge him one of these days."

Amara was sitting a top of the railing, her eyes gauging both Tyson and Damian. "Who do you think is going to win?" She asks unexpectedly.

Michelle blinked. "Um, I don't know." She followed Amara's gaze to the center of the arena. "Both have their… for lack of a better term, redeeming qualities, but in all manners, they're both amateurs. However, I believe Tyson will be victorious this match, since he has the upper hand with experience. What do you think?" She countered.

"Damian." Amara replied flatly.

"Why?"

"He has some sort of trick up his sleeve, I can sense it."

"Right."

Amara cast Michelle a sidelong glance and rolled her eyes. _Just wait._

* * *

A/N: sighs no reviewer responses... I feel so unloved... Well if you like the story thus far, give me your opinion, comments, ideas, corrections, or if you want you can tell me how much this story sucked or what not. I really want to hear the readers opinions to know if I'm doing a good job or not. Please. 


	8. Chapter 8

"Well, Tyson, are you ready to lose?" Damian asked, placing his blade in its launcher.

"Me? Lose?" Tyson laughed. "I'm the World Champion!"

"There will be a first time for everything."

"You think you're going to be World Champion?" Tyson asked, an eyebrow slightly raised.

"That no longer matters," Damian replied. "Maybe another day I'll tell you, but for now let's just battle."

"Bring it on!"

"Looks these two are ready to get it on!" The ref shouted. "Bladers to your marks! 3! 2! 1! Let it rip!"

"Let's do this, Dragoon!" Tyson exclaimed.

"C'mon Diablo!" Damian yelled. His black blade began to circle Tyson's white and blue mix. Tyson's blade bolted ahead, grinding into Diablo before breaking away and slamming into him again.

Tyson kept on repeated this tactic, while Damian just continue its circling of the dish. _He should be wearing down by now. _He thought _but there he is, un-phased. He is definitely up to something. _

"What's the matter, Tyson?" Damian mocked. "Is something wrong?"

Tyson gave him a cheeky grin. "No, nothing's wrong. Go Dragoon!" The predictable light shot of from the centerpiece of Tyson's blade. A serpentine dragon emerging, its scales an array of silver, blue, and white, its eyes were calculating and determined.

"So, that's the great Dragoon." Damian commented. "It is rather impressive seeing it in person."

"You haven't seen anything yet! Dragoon, Phantom Hurricane!" Tyson shouted swinging his arm down in front of him, fingers splayed. Gusts of wind started to pick up around his blade before the velocity became so great that a miniature hurricane took residence in the blading dish.

Damian held up an arm to shield his eyes from the wind, a grin on his face widening every moment. "Diablo! Let's show him how it's done!" Cutting his arm down in an arch, the wind was forced away from him. "_Unity_!" Black armor engulfed Damian as leathery demon wings stretched from his back.

Diablo emerged from the black blade, its arms crossed over its broad chest and its dog-like face snarled at Dragoon as the hurricane was reduced to nothing more than a light breeze.

"Let's show him the meaning of power! Black Rain!" Damian shouted.

A shadow appeared behind Diablo, almost like a distorted image before flickering away and the darkness of Diablo's attack came forth. The whole stadium darkened but over the dish it began to rain.

Dragoon let out a cry and Tyson dropped to one knee in exhaustion. The rain was acid, searing away at Dragoon's scales and the blade beneath it was beginning to smoke and lose its spin.

Before long, the darkness disappeared and Diablo returned to its blade, a shadow lingering behind it. Damian's armor faded as he looked down into the dish. There, his blade remained spinning while Tyson's was at rest, smoking.

"Damian is the winner!"

* * *

"Guess you called that one, Amara." Michelle said as she turned to her friend, only to find that she was gone. "Amara?" She blinked wondering where she had gone. _She must've snuck off during the match. Sometimes I get too caught up in these battles to notice these things._

Amara went off on her own around the middle of the match. Something she had seen was bugging her to no end. Before the match had ended she walked around the different sections looking for someone.

She let out a sigh, no luck. _Wait… _Her thoughts trailed off as she caught sight of who she was looking for. Sitting at the end of one of the rows, next to the aisle, was Kai. She looked up and saw that Damian was using his Black Rain attack while Dragoon held on against the burning water. Walking next to the aisle where the rest of the BladeBreakers were sitting, they hadn't even noticed her. Leaning over she whispered into Kai's ear. "Today, I fear."She quickly turned and walked off.

Kai turned around to see her retreating back, wondering, exactly, what she meant. He turned back to the battle to see that Damian had been announced as the winner.

* * *

Damian retrieved his blade and walked over to Tyson. He held out his hand and smiled. "Good match, Tyson." 

Tyson looked down at the hand that was offered to him. His face broke out into a grin before accepting. "Yeah, it was, but next time I'm gonna beat you!"

Haru and Max went to stand by their respective partners and they all shook hands, grinning and laughing with each other, except Haru, that is, but there was a hint of amusement in his eyes.

The voices of A.J. and Brad were heard in the background as Damian excused himself, leaving Haru with Tyson and Max. The said three headed down to the locker rooms while Damian meandered about the stadium, making his way through the crowd.

* * *

_What was it? It fits with my dream, that shadow, but it can't, can it? _Amara asked herself as she weaves her way through the crowd, getting annoyed every second it took her to ask someone to move. She was ready to scream for everyone to get out of her way, but now that was her thinking, while her other side was thinking of unifying with Tiamat and just disintegrate everyone right then and there. Before anything like that happened, Amara found her target. 

Damian sensing someone's eyes on him turned to find the gaze of Amara, and he just smiled at her as she made her way towards him.

"Damian, we need to talk." Amara stated, or more like, commanded.

"Okay," He replied. A bit to calmly for both Amara's liking. "Can we meet in the park in a half hour?"

Amara curtly nodded in agreement and turned on her heel to leave, "Come alone." She said before sifting back into the crowd.

"Of course, Death, of course," Damian said to her disappearing figure, a smile upon his face. He went down to the locker rooms and found Tyson, Max, and Haru. He told Haru of his 'appointment' and left.

* * *

Michelle looked everywhere in the stadium for Amara, but to no avail. Instead, she found the BladeBreakers. _And Haru? _Surprisingly, Tyson was taking the defeat quite well, chatting animatedly with Haru, commenting him on his tactics and bit beast. The conversation was one-sided though. 

Haru looked up and saw Michelle. "Michelle." He nodded to her. By his announcement, everyone glanced up.

Michelle made her way over to them and was greeted by a wide range of greetings. Max and Tyson were grinning widely, Kenny managed a meek wave, to intent on analyzing the battle data, a mere nod from Kai, Hillary just plain ignored her and Rei smiled slightly. "Have any of you seen Amara around?"

They all shook their heads, and then Haru spoke up. "Damian said something about meeting Amara in the park about fifteen minutes ago. He said they had something to discuss."

_Strange… Why wouldn't Amara tell me about this? _Michelle's gaze landed on Kai for a moment, he seemed to be considering Haru's words as well. _Does he know something? _She mentally kicked herself, finding that notion completely absurd.

"Michelle?" Rei's voice broke her from her thoughts. "Do you want any help looking for her?"

She shrugged. "Come if you want." They nodded their willingness to come along and the group went on their way.

Kai lingered behind. _Something isn't right. _He thought, but brushed the sense of foreboding aside. This, he soon will realize, wasn't the greatest of ideas.

* * *

Twenty minutes had past and Amara made her way to the park. She figured she would be arriving early but was surprised to find Damian already waiting for her. 

_I don't like this Amara. _Tiamat warned.

_Neither, do I. _She agreed. _This is all too familiar, but this time, the blanks are filled in. _Under the folds of her cloak, Amara had positioned her blade in her launcher, the movement undetectable.

Damian turned to face Amara as he heard her approach. "What do we need to talk about, Death?"

Inwardly, Amara cringed, but outside she remained passive. "Tell me Damian, how long?"

Damian acted confused. "'How long' what?"

"Stop your bullshit. You know what I'm talking about." Amara snapped. _Don't drop the barriers yet. Remain in control. _She warned herself. "You came to Wingz Corp, acting as an amateur, hoping to join so that you could learn the _Unity_ ability. But that wasn't all of it, was it? You kept yourself in check, not showing your true strength at first, but gradually revealing more of it so that you would move up in rank quicker. Tell me, was this all your idea, or did you have some help?"

"You pick up pretty quick, but not quick enough." Damian replied. "Though I must thank you for teaching me the wonderful _Unity _trick, however, Diablo isn't the one I intended it for."

Amara scowled at him. _Let's take him out now! _She could hear in the back of her mind. "And the one you intended it for?" She asked, tensing every muscle while remaining inconspicuous preparing to launch her blade.

"You should know," He replied simply. In a quick motion, Damian whipped out his blade hoping to catch Amara off-guard and launched. However, he was the one who was surprised that Amara had been the quicker. "I admit, I should've known you had that trick up your sleeve."

Amara blocked out everything in that one moment. Welcoming the darkness, she found herself facing her reflection.

"Ready?" The reflection asked.

"You bet." Amara answered.

Damian was watching his unresponsive opponent, confused by her blank stare in which the amber fires were even frozen. He returned his gaze to the battle. Even with Amara out of it, her blade was still holding its ground.

Amara 'returned' and a smirk was now spread across her lips. Clutching at the clasp of her cloak, she pulled it off as her wings unsheathed themselves from beneath her shoulder blades. Amara was glad that she was able to keep Ari from completely closing the wounds, or else, there would have been a bloody mess yet again.

Damian took a step back as he felt Amara's power and saw her eyes. One was amber while the other remained the forest green. His blade faltered at Amara's strength that flooded into her own blade. _She's not even in _Unity _and her power increased this much!_

"Amara!"

Amara looked over her shoulder to see Michelle, Haru, and the BladeBreakers making their way towards her. She let out a growl. _Wonderful. _

"What is going on?" Michelle asked she came up a few feet behind her friend.

Amara gave her the coldest glare Michelle had ever seen, and what made it worse were her two different colored irises. "Don't interfere."

"Now things get interesting." Damian called. "Kai, I have a friend who's been dying to see you again." He taunted. Kai glared at the blader making no other response. Damian continued, "I have a hunch that the feeling isn't mutual. Black Dranzer appear!"

Diablo appeared first but there was a looming shadow behind it. The beast looked uncertainly at its master with its almost canine like face. Soon black flames enshroud it, and Diablo howled in agony and was soon completely disseminated. Damian winced slightly as the connection he had with Diablo broke as well, but he wasn't furthered bothered by it for Black Dranzer had now appeared.

Max gasped and Tyson and Kenny fell backwards onto their rear ends. The rest stared wide-eyed in disbelief at the corrupt form of the phoenix.

With shaky hands, Kenny opened his laptop to collect the data from the battle. "Whoa! This is some battle, Chief!" Dizzi commented. "I'd never thought that I would see Black Dranzer again."

"Black Dranzer, _Unity_!" Damian cried. Glistening black armor covered him as the wings of Black Dranzer emerged from his back. With new strength, the blade that held Black Dranzer charged forward, slamming into Amara's blade.

Amara staggered back a step. _This is not good. _Her noticed that her blade had sustained much damage in that one attack another like it could even destroy her blade if she didn't do something about it. _Fine, if he wants to play this way we'll comply. _"Tiamat!" She yelled and her dragon bit beast emerged from her blade, amber eyes glinting dangerously. "_Perfect Unity!_"

Tiamat let out a deafening roar as his eyes changed to match Amara's. While Amara was now clad in her armor, except it was different. It was now a half breastplate instead of the full one she had before. Spikes ran along the back part of her shoulders above the joints of her wings. Her whole left arm was covered in armor plating while her right only retained a fore arm guard. On the bare skin of her upper right arm, a glimmer of black encircled it like a thin ring; the black was in fact dragon scales.

"Impressive." Damian mocked. Truthfully he did find the change impressive but he wasn't about to let Amara know that. "Black Dranzer!" He commanded as he swung a gauntlet-covered hand forward. Black Dranzer charged forward slamming into Tiamat.

Amara staggered back slightly. _Damn, even in _Perfect Unity_ he's still stronger then me. Black Dranzer really is powerful. _Amara winced and semiconsciously clutched her side. _I guess if I want any chance of winning I'll have to use it._

_Time to have some fun. _Her counterpart replied in the back of her mind.

"Fury Corruption!" Amara shouted. A black aura shot up around her like a pillar, whipping her hair about in a wind that everyone felt. Her forest green eye changed to amber to match the other. The pillar died down leaving just a small mist that surrounded her and that sometimes whipped out in small tendrils. "Let the real fun begin." She said in a voice quite not her own.

Dizzi let out a shriek as sparks flew from the laptop and the screen went blank. "Dizzi!" Kenny cried. He reached out to his laptop, but quickly drew back his hand as more sparks emitted from it.

"Yes, let's." Damian replied. The two beasts collided as the blades beneath them mimicked the action. A deep gash appeared across Damian's check while Amara remained unmarred.

The 'spectators' behind Amara could feel the power both combatants were emitting. Hillary was on her knees near Kenny who was shivering from the sure amount of power that rested on him, his laptop lay nearby, forgotten.

Michelle found it hard to breathe, as did the rest of them. The opponents' auras, both of them were impure, that's why it affected everyone so. "Amara!" She managed to call out.

Amara cast a glance over her shoulder, as more blows were exchanged between Tiamat and Black Dranzer. Damian looking even more battered with each and every retaliation while she remained unscathed. _They can't stand our energies. _She evaluated.

She argued with herself. _Who cares?_

_I care. _Was the reply.

_Fine, I'll do this for your sake. _Amara raised her power, the part that wasn't corrupted and was able to create a barrier.

Tyson glanced around, feeling that the weight had been lifted. "What the heck?" he asked aloud, turning to Michelle and Haru for answers.

Michelle shook her head, not understanding anything herself.

Kai watched the battle, his eyes widened slightly. _Where did Amara get all those wounds? _He asked as he now saw deep gashes and cuts across her body, but no one else seemed to notice.

"Damn," Amara muttered. _Putting up this barrier sure took its toll._

_Told you it was a bad idea._

_Shut up._

Damian wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth that turned up into a smirk. "Black Dranzer has just informed me with some very interesting information, Amara. Care to know what?"

Amara glanced up at him through amber eyes that narrowed menacingly.

"Afraid, Death? Why bother protecting the weak, you never cared before. You'd always get rid of those who were too weak-" Damian was cut off.

"Shut up." Amara ordered. "Don't talk about things you don't know."

"Touched a nerve have I?" Black Dranzer charged forward knocking Tiamat back.

_Amara! _Tiamat warned.

Kai stared as a deep incision cut across Amara's side mingling with the blood from smaller scratches. _Can't she see that she's wounded? _Black Dranzer pressed forward, driving Tiamat back farther and farther. More wounds appeared.

"Shut up!" Amara yelled. With renewed strength, Tiamat regained his bearings and pushed Black Dranzer back, the two blades grinding into each other.

Damian dropped to one knee, grasping his side, his face contorting in pain. He pulled his hand away to find it covered in blood; his blood. "You'll pay for that."

"I doubt it," Amara replied icily.

A chrome colored blade shot out from the forest and slammed into the barrier Amara had put up. She staggered back under the force. The blade kept on forcing its way through and soon, with the sound of shattering glass, the barrier was gone.

Amara clutched her head as crimson shot through her vision, leaving Tiamat vulnerable to the attack of the new blade. Tiamat managed to evade some of the onslaught, but was still caught up in most of it. Amara felt every single blow. Her other self went quiet as her eyes returned to their normal green.

Damian gazed at the chrome blade and shakily got to his feet. "We'll battle again soon." Black Dranzer reluctantly returned to his hand and his armor faded. Blood had accumulated on his shirt from the incision on his side and he made a break for the woods, disappearing.

Tiamat and the chrome blade continued battling, but with the loss of Amara's other self and the toll of having a blade force through the barrier, Tiamat was beginning to falter.

_Tiamat…_ She thought weakly.

_Forgive me. _Tiamat replied and then his voice was gone as the chrome blade slammed again into him and her blade stopped spinning.

As if mocking them all, the chrome blade circled around the fallen blade before returning to whoever launched it in the first place.

Amara's armor began to fade and she fell to her knees, her breath was ragged. Her eyes suddenly widened as the many gashes suddenly appeared upon her body and she collapsed to the ground, lying in a pool of her own blood and remained still.

Michelle took a few steps forward before falling to her knees, she couldn't turn away from the still body of her friend, neither could she cry, though her eyes burned with tears. "WHY?" She screamed and slammed her fists into the ground.

Rei knelt down beside her and pulled her into a hug. Her shoulders shook with tearless sobs as she gripped his shirt.

Kai was the only one who dared to draw near. _She told me that this would happen. She even told me that it would be today. I was blind, I didn't want to believe her, but…_Kai knelt in the gathering pool and carefully turned the lifeless body onto its back. He brushed away the hair that was matted to her face. _What is this? Something is burning inside of me. Dranzer? _

"Kai?" Tyson questioned as he watched the seemingly cold-hearted captain. Blazing flames shot up around Kai, engulfing both him and Amara. "Kai!" This time he shouted and everyone looked up, including the distressed Michelle.

Fiery wings unfolded from his back, the wings of the Phoenix. The calls of his teammates fell on deaf ears as he grasped Amara's cold hand.

* * *

Amara opened her eyes. Everything was dark. She got to her feet and glanced about. She was standing on a gray path that cut through the black, up ahead, at the end of the path was a light. Amara looked over her shoulder before turning back and taking a step towards the light. 

_I can't go back. Maybe this was for the best. I would've only hurt them more if I stayed. I'm sorry Michelle, I'd promised myself that I would tell you everything someday, but I guess I never got around to it. Tiamat, I forgive you. This wasn't your fault, it's all mine; all mine… You were great; I just wasn't strong enough. _She chuckled scornfully. _Having regrets now? Well, maybe I am. It would've been great to see this to the end, but I guess this is my end._ Amara continued her walk as the light drew nearer.

A hand grabbed her shoulder. "Where do you think you're going?"

Amara turned around to come face to face with Kai. "Wha-What are you doing here?"

"Keeping you from doing something stupid."

Her eyes drifted over to where Kai had placed his grasp. "Let go." She said looking at his hand upon her shoulder.

"No."

"You can't save me, I'm dead. Fate has already played its hand against me."

"You give up to easily."

"Because I know there's no hope of me ever returning," Amara snapped.

"What if there is?" Kai countered.

"Maybe I don't want to go back…"

Kai scowled and quicker than the eye, he swung out his free hand that curled into a fist. Amara brought up her arm to block. If she were still living, that would have left a nice bruise.

"What about the others? What about Michelle? Reno? Ari?" He paused; he couldn't voice the words. _What about me? _

Amara's eyes widened as she gazed into Kai's crimson eyes, as if reading that last thought. She adverted her gaze to hide the faint tint of red to her cheeks. _What's wrong with me? I hate him! I can't stand him! But why do I hate him? I always felt comfortable around him. Did I just keep lying to myself because maybe I might feel something for him? _

Kai turned his head away from Amara. He felt confused and didn't know what to do with the weird feeling he had in his heart. He meant to turn away from her but was surprised to find that Amara had caught his hand and her hand gripped it tightly.

She turned to face him, tears brimming her eyes. "Please, take me back."

Kai didn't make any move for a moment before he turned and started to walk away from the light. The two still held hands as a bright flame surrounded them; the heat was calming and welcoming.

* * *

A/N: Here's the next chapter for you! Dont know what else to say... umm... reviewer responses!

StrataAssassin: I'm just giving you a shout-out because you're like my best friend and I want to tell you don't give up and don't be bothered by what people say or doint say.

Fushicho Hime: Yeah, Maxie's cool. I don't really care for Tyson, but he's alright. I was planning on him losing that battle from the beginning. Hope you enjoy this chapter!


	9. Chapter 9

Kai opened his eyes again when he heard a small whimper, he then remembered who he was holding onto. Amara pulled herself close against him, her hand still in his. He made no move to answer her advancement but remained still, allowing her to stay close. He noticed that a lot of her wounds had closed, but many were still bleeding.

"Kai!" Tyson called again and this time Kai turned to acknowledge him, peering at him through the flames that still surrounded the two.

Amara carefully sat up and moved away from Kai, realizing that if the rest of group saw them that close there would have been some questions. Thank God for the fire that obstructed their view.

Kai's phoenix wings disappeared and the blaze died, allowing everyone to rush over to the two.

"You're alive, Amara!" Max rushed over with a giant grin on his face, pulling her into a friendly hug. In which Amara tensed not use to his touch and because of the wounds she still bared. "We thought you died."

Max drew away and Amara looked passed him to see Michelle and Rei. Michelle was wide-eyed and pallid. She slowly made her way towards her, Rei supporting her.

Kenny and Hillary moved out of the way so Michelle could come near. From her seat on the ground, Amara looked up at Michelle.

In a quick flash, Michelle swung her fist that connected Amara squarely in the jaw and sent her reeling away.

Acting on instinct, Amara shifted her weight to land in a crouch a few feet away, rubbing her bruised jaw. _What is it with everyone hitting me today?_ Her eyes narrowed dangerously at Michelle.

"Michelle!" Rei placed a hand on her arm, but she brushed him off.

"Stay out of this!" She pulled away from him and took a step toward Amara.

Rei was about to stop her but Kai grabbed hold of his arm, coming up to stand beside them. "Let them fight." He said and Rei regarded him curiously, as did the rest of them.

"But, Amara is badly injured and-" Hillary stated but was stopped by Haru this time.

"They know each other's limits, they won't go any further than necessary. Besides, I wouldn't want to be the one who comes between those two." Haru said with a small shrug. "Plus, Amara gave Michelle one hell of a scare, so she's just getting a little revenge."

Michelle went into a fighting stance as Amara got up from her crouch but made no other move. Michelle sneered and charged forward, sending a kick towards Amara's injured side.

Amara grabbed Michelle's foot before it connected and pushed her back. She shifted her right foot back; her body angled slightly and fists brought up.

Anyone could see the difference in the two's fighting styles. It seemed that Michelle favored the arts such as karate while Amara seemed to be your everyday brawler and street fighter. The two exchanged blow for blow and separated again.

Amara took the offensive this time, coming at Michelle with her right arm drawn back. She swung her right fist forward but Michelle caught it in her hand and swiped Amara's legs out from under her. Amara landed hard on her left wrist.

Before Michelle brought her foot down on her, Amara rolled out of the way and quickly came back to her feet. _Damn wrist…_ She moved back in attack position, waiting for Michelle to attack. However, it did not come.

"You really piss me off sometimes, Amara." Michelle said, wiping the blood from her split lip.

"Why is that?" Amara asked spitting out the blood that was collecting in her mouth.

"Don't you realize! You got lucky to escape death! Lucky that Kai somehow managed _Unity_! And lucky that his bit beast happened to be a phoenix which has the ability to give life!" Michelle exclaimed. Without waiting for a reply, she charged forward.

Amara waited for the opportune moment and just as Michelle drew near ready to lash out, Amara ducked under and came up through her attack. Grabbing the collar of Michelle's cloak and placing a hand on her abdomen, she winced slightly when her injured wrist was pressed back because of the added weight. Amara pulled her to the ground, flipping her over her head to land heavily on her back.

The air was knocked out of Michelle's lungs and before she could make any other move, Amara knelt over her, her fist pulled back and readied. Michelle closed her eyes, and awaited the blow. She felt the rush of wind, but didn't feeling anything. Opening her eyes, she saw that Amara deliberately missed her by an inch of so, slamming her fist into the ground next to her head.

Amara stood up and moved away from Michelle, panting. "Damn, Michelle you worry too much." Her knees gave out and Amara sank to the ground.

"Only because you're too reckless." Michelle snapped while sitting up, her breathing was also erratic and her heart was racing from adrenaline.

The others must have realized that the fight was over and carefully made their way over to the two.

Michelle looked over at Amara who was holding her wrist awkwardly. "What did you do?"

Amara shrugged. "Landed on it wrong when you tripped me is all."

"That's another reason why I worry."

Amara scoffed in reply before spitting out more blood.

"You guys alright?" Tyson asked looking from one to the other.

"We've seen better days," Michelle answered. "Especially Amara."

"Shut up." Amara replied curtly and wiped the corner of her mouth.

Michelle gingerly got to her feet. _I'll be sporting a few interesting bruises in the morning that's for damn sure. _She turned to see Rei regarding her with slight concern. "I'll be fine,"

Amara remained seated on the ground too exhausted to make another move, every breath she took hurt. _If I didn't know better, I'd think Michelle cracked, or bruised quite nicely, a few ribs._

"Amara, are you sure you're okay?" Max asked worriedly.

"I think I'll live." She answered. "In all seriousness." Her gaze drifted over to Kai who was standing a few feet away. She looked away when he turned to meet her gaze.

"Ari's going to have her work cut out for her when we get back," Haru said, his hands resting in his pockets. He then added in a grumble, "Reno's gonna have one hell of a fit. He's gonna end up complaining 'bout how much Ari has to do."

Rei helped Michelle to her feet, who nodded her thanks as he let her lean against him for support. She cast a glance over at Amara who was staring at the ground still sitting upon the ground, seemingly fascinated by the blades of grass. "C'mon, Amara, we should get going."

Amara gazed up at Michelle and nodded. She tried to stand but her legs wouldn't support her and she collapsed to the ground. She growled in frustration.

"Amara here let me help." Tyson said holding out his hand to her.

"Back off." She snapped. "I don't need your assistance."

"Stubborn as always." Michelle commented from off to the side.

Amara made another feeble attempt to stand, but this time before she fell back down an arm caught her and held her up. She looked up to find that Kai was the one who had caught her. He just grunted a "you're welcome", and wrapped her arm around his shoulders to uphold her. In her free hand, he placed her blade. The ebony blade was almost in pieces, charred and almost beyond recognition; the centerpiece that held the picture of Tiamat was scarred and dark.

"Let's head back to HQ," Michelle said before turning to Rei. "If you guys wouldn't mind, that is."

Rei shook his head and replied. "Not at all."

Kenny was holding his laptop tightly to his chest as he followed the group that set out, muttering to himself, "Please be okay, Dizzi, please." Since the computer has refused to turn on.

"I wonder what Mr. Dickinson is going to do about Damian. I mean since he broke off from the team." Hillary commented.

"He'll probably disqualify us," Haru remarked.

"Would he disqualify Michelle and Amara as well since your two separate teams are from the faction?" Hillary pressed.

"More then likely he won't," Haru replied turning to face Hillary as he walked. Hillary blushed and looked away, finding the houses that they walked by fascinating. He looked about the odd group. Rei and Michelle were leading, conversing quietly, Tyson, Max, and Kenny all walked next to each other, the former two turning to cheer up the latter. He came next with Hillary walking slightly behind him and Amara and Kai brought up the rear, both were quiet and seemingly refusing to look at the other. Haru let out a small sigh.

Amara tried her best to lean on Kai as little as she could. Their 'other worldly' encounter was fresh on both of their minds and neither wanted to talked about it.

"Do you still hate me?" Kai asked suddenly and quietly.

"Yes…" Amara answered just as softly.

"Good." Kai replied at length.

As much as Amara hated to admit, her own words as well as Kai's stung. Badly. She gritted her teeth as she shifted to move further away from him, but her whole body seemed to protest in pain and she involuntarily clutched her side.

"You push yourself to far." Kai stated. "You'll only end up worse off in the end."

"Don't condescend me." Amara shot back, holding back a wince. "Or patronize me for that matter. I'm not some little child that needs guidance, I've been living on my own for most of my life, I don't need you to tell me how far I can or can't go. The simple fact is, you don't know anything about me." Her voiced rose slightly in anger, but it was still a whisper.

"Hn."

Amara turned her focus ahead of her and her thoughts inward. _Tiamat?_

There was no answer.

_Tiamat, please answer me!_

Still no answer.

_Damnit! Where are you? You can't be gone… you just can't. I'm lost without you… I can't tell if our _Unity _is broken or not, so please, answer me, tell me that you're alright._

Kai noticed the far-off look in Amara's eyes and the sudden anguish. She was so focused in what ever she was thinking that she didn't noticed that she started to lean fully against him. "Amara?" He asked cautiously.

"Tiamat…" She said, barely a whisper. "I can't, I can't reach him."

Kai could understand what she was going through. The separation between someone and their bit beast was always hard, everyone on the BladeBreaker team probably felt it at least once, sometimes twice. However, he couldn't imagine what it would be like to lose their partner when they had such an ability as _Unity_ that seemed to connect the blader and beast in mind and body. It was probably like losing a part of their very soul. He gently tightened the grip on her wrist that was wrapped about his shoulders to hold her up.

Michelle glanced back at her friend, worried. Rei caught the look on her face. "Are you okay, Michelle?" He asked.

"Yeah… Rei, I want to thank you, for everything that you've done. You and all the BladeBreakers."

"It's no problem, Michelle. If you need help, all you got to do is ask." Rei replied.

"I'll keep that in mind." Michelle remarked. When she looked up she saw a figure running toward them.

"Michelle!" Ari came sprinting up, her long honey hair was pulled back into a tie, but the strands that framed her face were disheveled. "I knew something was wrong. When you two didn't return, I got the worst feeling that something bad had happened, so Reno and I went out to look for you. He went back to HQ to wait for you there, but I'm so glad to have found you! Is everything alright? What happened? Oh my God! You're hurt! Who did this? I'll cast Judgment upon them. Where's Amara? Is she alright? Oh! She's back there! Is she hurt? Just wait until I find out who did-"

"Ari!" Michelle cut in. "Enough, Ari, calm down.. First let's get back to Headquarters and you can heal Amara and me there, then we'll explain."

"Okay, sorry, Michelle." Ari inclined her head in apology. "I've just been so worried. Haru's with you as well? Where's Damian? Sorry, I forgot myself again, no more questions until you and Amara are healed. Come on, the sooner the better."

The group made their way quickly to Wingz Corp Headquarters. As soon as they were inside, Reno greeted them and began to shoot off a barrage of questions, until he was placated by Ari.

Ari had both Amara and Michelle sit down on the couch in the lounge and immediately she went into _Unity _with her bit beast. The guys who didn't see this the last time were awed by the spectacle and Hillary was again put in a stunned silence.

Within minutes, Michelle and Amara were almost completely healed except for a few superficial cuts and bruises, nothing that the two weren't use to.

"Okay, now is the time I believe you owe us an explanation." Reno stated once Ari moved away and sat on the armrest of the chair in which he was seated in, her armor fading as she folded her hands in her lap.

Michelle glanced over at Amara next to her and something told her that she was not going to say much. "I don't know where you want me to begin."

"Where's Damian?" Ari asked.

"He's gone." Michelle answered. Before she could elaborate on the subject, Amara spoke up.

"He's the one who betrayed us. He had it planned all along. His naivety was just a ruse just the same as Diablo being a front to hide Black Dranzer." Amara stated scornfully. "Diablo deserved better than that fuc-"

"Amara, enough." Michelle said. She did not get any reply for Amara

"So Damian was the traitor." Reno observed. "How did you two get beaten up so bad?"

Michelle knew that question was coming. She would have to explain the battle between Amara and Damian, the chrome blade that interfered, how Kai tapped into _Unity_, her and Amara fighting, but inevitably she would have to tell them that Amara had died. Michelle let out a sigh and began to explain everything that she could.

Amara made no comment and supplied nothing to help Michelle; she remained quiet throughout the rest of the account.

"Amara? You… died?" Ari asked, dismayed. The only confirmation Amara gave was an indifferent shrug that made Michelle sigh. Ari then turned to Kai who was leaning against the wall, arms crossed over his chest. "Kai, I thank you for what you did, even though I'm not really clear on what exactly you did, but you have my gratitude." She stood up and bowed formally to him.

Kai straightened. "I don't want your gratitude."

Ari uncurled herself from her bow and placed a calming hand on Reno's arm who was fuming. She fixed a glare on him; her normally warm brown eyes were icy cold. "Normally, I'm understanding of those with temperaments such as yours. But your rudeness grates on my nerves. I've offered you my thanks and you shoved it back into my face. You've offended me and therefore offended my partner, an act that isn't the wisest-"

"Ari, back off." Amara ordered. "If he has no need of your thanks than don't give it and don't dwell on it."

"A-Amara!" Ari exclaimed.

"Drop it, okay? I died but I'm back because of Kai and leave it at that."

Ari wanted to argue but Reno placed his hand over hers and shook his head. "It's okay, Ari. Just leave it." She sighed and went back to her seat. "However, Kai, I do have a question." Reno stated. "How were you able to go into _Unity_? Would you care to enlighten us?"

"I don't know how, I just did. Maybe because of all your talk about it, I was able to take it into context." Kai replied.

Reno concurred with a nod of his head. "Now," He began, "do you have any idea who that chrome blade might have belonged to?"

Michelle shook her head. "No idea. But whoever it is must be an acquaintance of Damian."

Amara went rigid, sudden realization coming over her. "BioVolt…"

"What?" Tyson asked

"With the coming of our traitor, BioVolt will come. Damian must be in league with BioVolt, that chrome blade is probably a blader from BioVolt."

"Just exactly where are you going with this?" Max interrogated.

"Think about it, we're all adopted here, except Damian who has some sort of adoptive parent." Amara continued. "We have never met this person, not even Haru, who's been around Damian more than us. Damian was a late joiner, we never even heard of him until he came here asking to join. It all fits! His 'adoptive' parent is some sort of trainer from BioVolt who sent Damian here to learn our _Unity _ability to gain more power for Black Dranzer!"

"Boris." Tyson spoke up.

Kai's hand clenched tightly into a fist. "My Grandfather is no doubt behind this as well."

"Voltaire, right?" Michelle asked and Rei nodded.

"--ltair- an- Bor-s! Th--'re s--pose to -- in jai-!" A computerized voice came from over by Kenny.

"Dizzi!" Kenny exclaimed and opened up his laptop. "Dizzi! Are you alright!"

"Tha- was --me sh-ck, I thin- so-- of my ci--u-ts are f-ie-!" Dizzi stated, her words fading in and out. "Do yo- --ve --y ide- wh-t h---ened?"

"Dizzi, hold on. I'll explain later, but first I have to repair the software and hard drive to get you in top working condition." Kenny insured.

"We should get going. Mr. Dickinson would no doubt want to hear about this." Rei said, getting to his feet, looking to his teammates who all agreed.

"We'll make sure to keep our eyes open." Max said. They said their goodbyes and the BladeBreakers headed out.

"Are we actually going to trust them now?" Amara asked.

"What else can we do?" Michelle replied. "They know more about BioVolt than we do."

"Now that I think of it, Amara, how did you know that BioVolt would be involved?" Reno asked.

"I saw it in a dream." Amara answered nonchalantly. "And when Damian was recruited I just suddenly remembered it."

Ari was quiet, a thoughtful look on her face. "You know, when I first found Ark, I was just a little girl at an old run down orphanage. I was always the smallest and the other kids picked on me. I was so angry with the other kids one time that I ran away. I got lost. I turned down a wrong alley where one of the local gangs were. They chased me and I fell. I was scared of what they would do to me so I just stayed facedown on the ground, my eyes tightly shut. I waited a few moments and nothing happened. I felt so warm and comforted that I opened my eyes and there was Ark, standing over me and protecting me. I thought it was a dream at first but I realized that it was real. He told me that he was my Guardian and that he would always be there for me." Ari was looking at the floor a sad smile on her face. "To have a bit beast is a blessing, they promise themselves to us and we should do the same to them. Anyone who just throws away their partner is not worthy of anything as special as a bit beast."

"Ari…" Reno gazed at her.

Amara closed her hands around her scarred blade, wishing and hoping that her own Guardian would answer her.

Reno wrapped his arm around Ari's shoulders and pulled her close. "I was an urchin, wandering around towns and cities, stealing and the like. I got into a number of fights with other kids, mostly because of my short temper. I joined a small gang of other kids and we all looked out after each other. The warehouse we were living in was set on fire while we were asleep. I was the first to wake up. I started going around trying to get the other kids out. After everyone was out I went back in to make sure that there was no left. The place was emptied and I started to make my way out when part of the roof collapsed blocking my way. I knew I was trapped and I knew there was no way to get out. I curled up on the floor waiting for the fire to finish me, when I noticed that somehow all the heat and smoke was bearable and none of the flames touched me. I looked up and there was Firen, keeping the fire at bay and making a safe path for me to get out without getting burnt."

_Oh God, Tiamat! Can you hear them? You've always protected me! But I cannot protect you! You never gave me the chance! Please! I want to protect you like you protected me! _Amara opened her folded hands to look down at her blade.

"Damian didn't deserve Diablo. Diablo could have left Damian and chose another partner, but he didn't because he promised Damian that he would always protect him. That protectiveness has to be reciprocated for it to mean anything. It may not mean much but we promise our bit beasts to never betray them and it's a small thing compared to their guarding of our lives." Haru stated.

Amara continued to stare at her blade. Something wet splashed onto her hand and another drop fell onto her blade. She shut her eyes tightly. _I don't want to be alone._

Michelle glanced over at Amara. She was leaning over, her head down and hair falling in font of her face, and her shoulders were shaking with silent sobs. "Amara?"

Haru sat down on the other side of Amara while Ari and Reno stand up in front of them on the couch.

"He-he's gone…"Amara managed to choke out. "Tiamat is gone." She unfolded her hands and her once distinguished ebony blade fell to the floor and shattered.

* * *

A/N: "What will Amara do without Tiamat? Don't hate me because I stop right here..." cowers in corner "... Anyway, I'm not going to be able to update in the coming weeks, too much stuff going on. I can't believe that school is almost already here, for me that is... So to warn you, once school gets going again, updates will come slow. So anyway, hope you enjoyed this chapter and I have a feeling that upcoming chapters are going to get a little dark... at least that's what I think... Whatever... I have a question for my reviewers, do you want me to have the other Wingz Corp people (Haru, Reno,and Ari) to play more important roles? I don't plan on dropping them or anything, I'm just wondering if you guys want me to go more in depth of their pasts and such, if I can come up with something that is... On to the responses!"

Strata-Assassin: whacks head with flat of scimitar "You're such an oxymoron... moron... hehe. Don't hate me, I couldn't help myself!"

observaant- not mean: "Thanks for thinking about me by at least reading my story again, I am thankful. I don't really like Tyson either, but," shrugs "what can one do, eh? Hoped you enjoyed!"

Storms-winter: "It could be considered coincidence... but then again..." trails off "Anyway, here's the update you mentioned and I'm glad that you're enjoying. I'm almost finished reading your story and I really like yours as well, hopefully I get to the last chapter soon and leave a review for you, I've been kinda procrastinating, heh..."

Death-Scimitar: Well that's it from me for now, I might get another update in the coming week but don't quote me on that... Sorry if there are any spelling or grammer mistakes or if something doesn't make sense. Tell me about it in review and I'll fix it. I would tell you to e-mail me, but I can't get e-mails right now... Later.


	10. Chapter 10

Mr. Dickinson sat at his desk in his office, his eyes peering through his spectacles at the papers in front of him. Many of the papers were from different corporate sponsors that were hosting the tournaments.

Despite of all the paperwork that still needed to be done, Mr. D was in a rather good mood. BBA's ratings were steadily growing in spite of the loss of the reigning World Champion. Even though Tyson and Max had lost, they were still assured a spot on the World Championship bracket.

He leaned back in his chair, sighing in slight contentment, that is, until an insistent banging sounded at his door along the shouts of "Mr. D!" or "Mr. Dickinson!"

Tyson, Max, Hillary, and Kenny all fell into the room in a rather comically effect, Rei and Kai stood opposite each other in the doorway.

"What's going on?" Mr. Dickinson asked.

"Mr. D! BioVolt and Voltaire and Boris are back! Damian has Black Dranzer! The Wingz Corp faction is now pulled into this as well! And there was this strange chrome blade that attack Amara and Damian while they were battling and something weird happened! And-"

"Tyson!" Mr. Dickinson cut the boy off. "Are you sure that it is BioVolt?"

"Of cour-" Tyson stopped and thought. _We don't know for sure… the only thing we have to go on is Amara, Michelle and the others' word. _"No, not really… But there's no doubt in my mind that it is!"

"Mr. Dickinson, Dizzi checked into the files at the prison and it seems the two happened to get out on a bail." Kenny explained.

"Kai?" Mr. Dickinson looked over at the captain expectantly.

Kai shrugged his shoulders. "From what I've seen, I have reason to believe that my grand- Voltaire is back. Black Dranzer is back so there's no doubt that Boris and Voltaire would be as well."

Mr. Dickinson sighed. "You know there is nothing we can do, they haven't done anything wrong yet."

Rei was silent, deep in his own thoughts. _So I guess the only reason that Damian was with Wingz Corp was to learn the _Unity_ ability in order to gain more strength. Still, it seemed that Amara was still able to hold her own against Damian even when he was in _Unity _with Black Dranzer. Just how powerful is this _Perfect Unity_? And can bit beasts without wings also achieve this? This is just too much right now. And what about Michelle? _Rei shook his head as he felt heat rising in he's cheeks. He was thankful that no one had noticed.

"Can you tell me exactly what happened?" Mr. Dickinson asked. "Rei?"

Rei gazed up at the Head Chairmen of BBA and nodded. He began to explain all that had happened. Tyson, Max, Kenny, and Hillary put in a few comments when Rei was at a loss for words, but Kai remained quiet. "We don't know how it happened but after Damian fled and the chrome blade disappeared, Amara collapsed and…" Rei didn't know what to say.

"She died." Kai stated. "Somehow I was able to use their own ability of _Unity _and bring her back."

Mr. Dickinson was quiet for a moment. "The power of a phoenix to raise from its own ashes…" He said softly. Rei finished after he explained what occurred at Wingz Corp headquarters and Mr. Dickinson inclined his head in thought. "There isn't anything we can do if it is indeed BioVolt. I will have to tell the officials that Damian and Haru are to be disqualified. The day when they would have battled next would've been the second to last day of this tournament so that day will just be a day of rest before the finals."

"Hey! Since Haru and Damian are disqualified won't me and Max advance?" Tyson asked.

Mr. Dickinson shook his head in apology. "Sorry, Tyson but the positions will stand as they are."

"It's not that bad, Tyson." Max assured. "Besides I think it would be a interesting change of things to watch Kai and Rei duke it out against Michelle and Amara."

Tyson slumped with a sigh. "Oh well…"

"Kai?" Hillary spoke up. "What did happen between you and Amara?" The rest of the team looked up at Kai when Hillary asked this, curious as well.

"Hn, nothing happened." He answered passively.

"Aw, c'mon Kai, tell us!" Tyson whined.

"I have better things to do." Kai stated when he turned on his heel and left the room, leaving the others behind.

"You all should head back home now." Mr. Dickinson said. "Tomorrow is sure to be another grueling day." He was met with a chorus of farewells as the rest of the BladeBreaker team left his office.

He glanced at the clock that was mounted on the wall and sighed. It was six thirty exactly and it gave him more than enough time to fill out the statement of disqualification of Team 2 of Wingz Corp.

Yes, indeed, tomorrow will be another grueling day.

* * *

Michelle quietly shut the door and sighed. Amara was distressed, no scratch that, she was practically broken, she won't respond to anything. Her tears were at least proof she still had some emotions left, but now she just seems like an empty shell, void of anything. Michelle had left her sitting on her bed staring at nothing. 

"Is there anything that we can do?" Ari asked.

"I don't know, Ari." Michelle replied.

"Does this mean Tiamat is truly gone or just lost, like a wandering spirit?" Reno inquired.

"I don't know!" Michelle shouted. "I just don't know…"

"Because Amara has been in a form of _Unity _for so long, she's probably use to feeling the presence of Tiamat. Michelle, you too are also in a form of _Unity_, you have a better communication with Bahamut then we do with our bit beasts, because the two of you have used this ability longer." Haru reasoned. "At first Amara probably didn't know if Tiamat was truly gone or just a breaking of _Unity_, but I guess it became clearer. However, whether Tiamat is gone, we can't say."

"I feel so helpless." Ari sighed, her shoulders sagging. "I wish that there was something- anything that I could do. Sometimes having power just sucks. I can heal almost any physical wound but when it comes to the soul… I'm helpless."

Reno wrapped his arms around her shoulders. "This is something that Amara has to overcome herself."

"Haru, you're probably the most introspective out of all of us when it comes to bit beasts. Do you think, that they can somehow be reborn as well?" Michelle questioned.

Haru crossed his arms over his chest and closed his eyes in thought. "There's a chance that they might. Maybe when Amara died, Tiamat also might have died, and since Kai was able to use the Phoenix's power to bring her to life, maybe Tiamat is back as well."

"But where?" Reno asked.

* * *

Amara sat on her bed, staring blankly at the floor; her eyes were dead and vacant. "Tiamat…" She whispered as her eyes closed and she fell back on her bed. Falling into a restless sleep, she dreamt.

* * *

_Endless void of gray, surrounding, engulfing. Complete loneliness. Pain, a forgotten deal, left broken. A familiar mocking laugh. The one who had agreed to cooperate with the other. Fight for supremacy, fight for the right to live. A battle lost. Pain. Helplessness. Fear… That mocking laughter that held no face but her own. Anger. Confusion. Why had the deal been broken? Laughter. A chuckle. _

"_Tiamat deserved better than you, he deserved me." _

_Separation. Control taken away. Nothing left. Only able to watch what transpires. Fear for the safety of the others. Total emptiness. Totally powerless. Total void._

* * *

The march to the finals was drawing closer to an end. It was Day 5 of the seven-day tournament and since Haru and Damian were disqualified Day 6 would be uneventful before the championship battle. 

Rei let out a quiet sigh as he prepared in the locker rooms before his and Kai's battle against the Slashers. He had no doubt in his mind that they would win, but he was nevertheless ready to accept the unpredictable. _After we defeat Troy and Paul of the Slashers we will have to face Amara and Michelle in the finals. Will they be ready? _He thought to himself, quietly musing over the different scenarios that could take place in the finals.

"Rei." Kai's voice brought him back to reality.

Rei inclined his head and stood up to follow Kai out of the lockers to the stadium. Even on the short trek to the arena, his mind wandered.

"Welcome! Welcome! Here we are at Day 5!" Brad commented. "And what a day it shall be!"

"You can count on it!" A.J. readily agreed. "But first off, there has been a disqualification. Team 2 of Wingz Corp, Haru Sohma and Damian Darcyn will no longer be competing. So, tomorrow BBA will be taking the day to create a awesome dish for Team 1 of Wingz Corp and the winner of this match."

"But now, let's see what this tournament has in store to us."

"Couldn't have said it better myself, Brad."

"Rei, I'll take the first match," Kai said as he stepped forward to the dish. Rei nodded in agreement and hung back.

"Looks like Kai will be our first competitor and looks like he'll be up against Troy of the Slashers!" A.J. said.

Troy was rather tall and lanky he had bleach blond hair and green eyes. He regarded Kai before closing his eyes and inclining his head. "I must say it's an honor to be able to face you, Kai Hiwatari. I remember you two years ago when you were the leader of that gang, The Street Sharks." He opened his eyes again. "I know I probably won't be able to stand a chance against you, but humor me at least." With a small shrug he smirked and brought up his blade.

Kai's only reply was the readying of his own blade as he waited for the countdown to launch.

"Our competitors are ready!" The referee announced. "3! 2! 1! Let it rip!"

The two released at the same time, Kai's Dranzer immediately taking the offensive, driving Troy's orange blade back.

* * *

"Yeah! Way to go Kai!" Tyson cheered from his seat. Max was next to him, encouraging Kai right along with him. 

"It's nice to you again." A soft voice said behind the BladeBreakers. They all turned around to see Ari, Reno, Haru, and Michelle taking their seats behind them.

"Where's Amara?" Kenny asked, turning around in his seat to face them while keeping a tight hold on Dizzi so she could continue to record Kai's match.

"She isn't feeling well." Ari answered. "She wanted to be here though." Hillary gave her an incredulous look but didn't make any remark.

"What's wrong with her?" Max asked.

Ari didn't answer and Reno effectively returned their attention back to the match by saying, "Looks like Kai is going to finish this match." They all turned their attention back, and sure enough Kai dealt the finishing blow knocking Troy's blade out of the dish.

"Kai is the winner!" The ref announced.

Hillary continued to glance at the Wingz Corp group from out of the corner of her eye. _They're hiding something, I know it. And I definitely intend to find out what._

"Up next we have Rei versus Paul!" The match started as soon the ref shouted, "Let it rip!" Rei and Paul snapped back their arms launching their blades into action.

Michelle noticed that Hillary was watching them out of the corner of her eye. She managed to keep herself from smirking. She had to commend Hillary of her suspicions, however misguided. Returning her attention to the battle at hand, she studied Rei and Drigger's technique. _Speed… _Michelle thought, _I would have to watch out for that. Bahamut is fast, but not fast enough to match Drigger's speed. Paul isn't that bad either, but without the help of a bit beast he's going to lose. _

_Drigger and Rei will be a tough opponent, _Bahamut commented.

Michelle was somewhat startled to hear Bahamut's voice. He went quiet after he could no longer sense Tiamat. _No doubt about it… _Michelle replied.

_I am sorry if I worried you. I just needed some time to think- _

_Bahamut, it's all right, I understand. _Michelle reasoned. _I didn't try to communicate with you either. I guess we both needed time to take everything in. Amara without Tiamat is like… like… _Michelle couldn't find a good analogy.

_Like a day without night? _Bahamut supplied.

Michelle snickered mentally. _Maybe that's a little too deep but I guess it could work. _She let escape a small chuckle.

Haru cast Michelle a small glance, hearing her quiet chuckle. She felt his gaze and looked at him and shrugged lightly as her only response. They both focused their gaze back on the battle just to see Rei send Paul's blade out of the dish and be announced the winner.

"You've seen it here folks." A.J. said. "We now have our two finalists who will be fighting it out on Friday!"

"No doubt that it will be a great battle," Brad responded. "And who knows what the BBA has in store for them with this new dish. Who will win? Teammates of the reigning World Champ or the rising newcomers?"

"You all best be prepared for Friday, which will more than likely be one of those battles of the decades!"

"You said it, A.J."

"We'll see you all again on Friday where-

* * *

-the real fun begins." 

A shadow stood above the arena, watching the emptying stadium from the mezzanine. Her cloak was wrapped around her tightly and the cowl pulled low over her face. She turned from the railing and started to make her way back. Her breathing was labored and shallow. Stumbling, she caught herself, using the wall as a support.

"If I want to battle, I have to find some way to fight," Her voice cracked, "to fight without Tiamat." Amara leaned up against the wall; her once vibrant eyes were now distant and empty. She straightened but kept her hand on the wall to steady her and continued again.

A sudden pain shot through her chest and her breath hitched. The pain faded as quickly as it came. However, it left an ominous feeling as a chill crawled down her spine.

Fate was dealing the cards and there was no doubt that it had stacked the deck in its favor. From that point on, life was going to be hell.

* * *

"_Come and meet your fate. I am your other half that you only met once before. You are still horrified of the things that I have done through you, aren't you? You've kept me at bay by your precious little _Unity _trick with Tiamat's help. But Tiamat is gone and I am now here. The cage that holds me is weakening, along with your strength. Soon I will be in control and there's nothing you can do to stop me. How long before I finally gain control again? How long before I taste the blood of those you care for? The answer is soon, my other half. So answer me this last question, one that you cannot hear, but yet you still know it in deepest part of your soul-_

_How long, dear Amara, before I break you? Before I break you body, mind, and soul?"_

* * *

A/N: "Well, this one is a little short compared to some of my other chapters and I'm quite surprised that I was able to get another update up sooner then I expected. I hope you're all enjoying this and I would really love some opinions on this." wink wink, nudge nudge "Heh, anyway, I really don't have much more to say, except that the next chapter is falling into place along with the one after that. So, have patience with me! And once again forgive any spelling mistakes and whatnot." 

Strata-Assassin: looks increduously at her long sword "You realize that if you kill me, you won't get to know the ending and what happens to Michelle!" laughs maniacally. "What have you done for me anyway? Wait don't answer that." holds out hands in a placating gesture "I'm just joking around... heh" scratches back of head

Storms-winter: "You really think that this is awesome! Yay!" coughs and composes self "I kinda wanted to give Kai and Amara more of a twisted relation, both are in denial..." sighs "Glad you find this interesting. I've been thinking about doing a side story on how the other Wingz Corp members joined up, but" shrugs "we'll just have to wait and see if I get around to it.And you already got my answer for your question but I'll just give the okay again lol. Have fun in the Real World!


	11. Chapter 11

The Wingz Corp group left the stadium with the BladeBreakers. Despite the fact that the two teams will be facing each other in the finals, they seemed to be getting along quite well. It probably was because now they were both stuck in the same web, which was weaved by Black Dranzer. They walked through the stadium's parking lot heading to the gate.

"Man, I can't wait for Friday!" Tyson exclaimed, stretching his arms to the late afternoon sky. "It's gonna be so awesome!"

"You're excited, even though it's not you battling?" Reno asked.

"Of course!" Tyson replied. "Though I'll probably be even more excited if it was me doing the fighting, but still!"

"Don't expect Michelle and Amara to go easy on you," Ari intoned with a smile.

Rei laughed. "Hardly. But it's bound to be a great battle, right Michelle?" He asked turning to her. She nodded in reply, obviously thinking. Rei also noticed that Kai was quiet as well, not that that him being quiet is unusual, it's just he hadn't commented on anything, even Tyson's exclamations.

Michelle stopped in her tracks, her icy eyes narrowing.

"Michelle?" Haru asked, coming up from behind to stand next to her. "What is it?"

Michelle turned her gaze to him. "We're being watched," Everyone from Wingz Corp tensed, their eyes glancing about.

The BladeBreakers also seemed wary as well. "Probably just some fans stalking us or something," Tyson supplied, but the doubt in his voice was obvious and the Wingz Corp had to give him credit for being serious when the time called for it.

"From where?" Reno asked.

"Keep walking and don't act suspicious." Michelle practically ordered. They continued their walk; amazingly they were able to keep their mannerisms calm and collected, even Kenny and Hillary, acting like nothing was wrong. "Black limo, over by the East Gate exit, tinted windows."

"You're sure?" Kenny asked. Michelle replied with a curt nod.

"How can you be sure?" Max inquired.

"The night before yours and Tyson's match against Haru and Damian," She spat out his name, "Amara told me that while she was wandering about town she saw this limo a number of times. She passed it while she was heading back to Headquarters. I trust Amara's instinct, if she feels like she is being watched, then there's probably no doubt that she is. Also, I trust my own instinct as well."

Max's stride slightly faltered at the coldness of her voice but he regained it quickly. With a smile he stated, "Hey, you guys, we should all head over to Tyson's place. I'm sure his grandpa wouldn't mind and it's closer than going all the way to your Headquarters."

"Yeah!" Tyson shouted. "I want to battle you guys myself!"

"And if you don't mind," Kenny said with a small voice, "I was wondering if I could gather data on you and your bit beasts."

"Don't be so worried, Chief." Dizzi said from the laptop. "I'm the one who should worry, my hard drive might get fried again."

Ari smiled sweetly. "I don't mind. I would like to see on how you would rank Ark compared to your bit beasts, and I'm sure that Reno would like to see Firen's stats as well." Reno nodded in agreement and thought, _Max is pretty good at acting inconspicuous. Then again, he might not even be acting…_

"You guys can go ahead." Michelle stated. "I want go check on Amara."

"Miche-" Ari was cut off.

"You guys go ahead." Michelle stated. Ari, Reno, and Haru heard the hidden order beneath her words. "I'll be fine."

Ari nodded, "Alright,"

"Is it alright if I go with you?" Rei asked.

Michelle bit the inside of her lip before nodding. "Yeah, I guess you can come." She turned to the rest. "We'll meet with you guys later." She started on her way down a different street with Rei walking along side of her.

"Come on!" Max exclaimed. "This way!" He grabbed Haru by the arm and started to drag him off, Tyson joined him by taking hold of Haru's other arm. Kenny chased off after them with Kai and Reno following at a slower pace, one a few strides ahead of the other. Ari remained in her place watching Michelle and Rei disappear around another corner.

"So, Ari, are you and Reno…" Hillary trailed off.

"A couple?" Ari supplied, looking at Hillary. "Yeah, he's my soul's other half. It's ironic, though, he represents Hell and I represent an Angel. Quite the contradictory." She smiled. "You like someone as well, don't you?" She asked, slyly.

"N-no!" Hillary flushed.

"Stuck in denial, huh? Don't worry I won't say another word." Ari's smile faded. "You know a lot of people are in denial. They say that they don't love someone, or they won't believe that a person will never come back to them. They believe that once they get strong enough they'll see them again. But having power is nothing more than a curse…" Hillary stared wide-eyed at Ari, not understanding what she was saying. "I'm stuck with this great power of healing but I can't do anything when it matters the most." Ari's honey colored hair fell into her face as she gazed down at the ground. "It sucks… I couldn't do anything to help. I wish I didn't have any power than I wouldn't feel so helpless." Strong arms wrapped around her shoulders as someone pulled her close against his chest.

"Ari," Reno said, "never talk like that again." Ari turned around and buried her face into his chest. "Understand?" Ari nodded numbly against him. Reno sent Hillary an apologetic look. "The others are up ahead waiting, but I wouldn't be surprised if they already headed off to Tyson's house. We should get going." With that said, he headed off, his arm still wrapped about Ari who kept her face buried against his chest.

Hillary couldn't help but wonder what that was about as she walked behind the couple. And what did Ari know about her 'love-life'? Was she really that obvious? She shook her head, trying to shake the thoughts from her mind. She would dwell on this later.

* * *

Michelle and Rei walked down the sidewalk as the late afternoon traffic passed them by. They were silent as they walked side-by-side. Rei wanted to break the silence but he didn't know what would be all right to bring up. Finally deciding on a topic he spoke up, "So, are you guys ready for the battle?" 

Michelle shrugged indifferently.

"Will Amara be able to compete?" He pressed.

"I would think so."

"Is her blade fixed? I saw it after her battle, it looked pretty beat up."

Michelle shook her head. "No, it can't be fixed."

"She got a new blade?"

She shook her head again.

Rei was confused. _How can she battle if her blade isn't fixed and if she didn't get a new one? This doesn't make sense._ "I realize that I must be overstepping bounds here by asking these things, I mean since we're opponents and all."

"It's not that, Rei." Michelle replied. "It's just I know Amara. She'll still want to battle even if she was dying and her blade was beyond repair. It's just the way she is."

Rei studied her for a moment. "Something's wrong with Amara." He meant it to be question but it can out as a statement.

Michelle didn't answer for a long time as they walked on. Finally, "Yeah… There is something wrong. I don't know what to do anymore. She just blocked everyone out; she's not letting anyone get close to her. She believes that separation is the only way to cope, but she just can't see that she's only hurting herself more!"

Rei stopped and grabbed Michelle by the shoulders, forcing her to face him. "What happened?"

Michelle tried to shrug his hands off, but she didn't try really hard. "When Amara battled Damian she was in _Perfect Unity_, that _Unity _was severed forcibly when that chrome blade interfered since they both used up too much of their power. The result of that you can remember. The thing is, they both died. Kai was able to revive Amara, but whether Tiamat was revived or not, we can't be sure. But we do know is that Tiamat is gone and is no longer with Amara. That is why Amara is separating herself, she can't handle the fact that her Guardian is no longer by her side to help her stay in control!" Michelle bit her lip, believing she said too much.

"Control? What do you mean bystaying incontrol?" Rei pressed, gripping her shoulders tighter than he intended.

"Let go." Michelle ordered, her voice low and hard, and her cold gaze searing into him.

"Michelle, no." Rei replied back. "I want to know what's going on. I want to help you."

"You can't." She said simply.

"You don't know that!" Rei retorted. "We all want to help you and Amara. Tyson, Max, Kenny, Hillary, Kai and myself, we want to help, and no doubt that Ari, Reno, and Haru want to help just as much. Please, let us. You can trust us."

Michelle just stared at him. "You really think you can help? Are you sure you won't become afraid once you get a glimpse of all the skeletons in my closest?"

"Everyone hides something," Rei replied evenly.

"And what about you, Rei?" Michelle inquired. "What of your skeletons? Trust me, whatever they are, they won't come even close to my deepest secrets." Rei didn't reply and Michelle found herself continuing. "Even some of my skeletons are real ones…"

Rei's eyes widened. "You mean-?"

Michelle shook her head. "Not yet, but covering for someone who did is the same thing, so we share the skeleton. But when I find Damian I'll make sure I get to him first and he can be the first lucky one." She said determinedly.

Rei finally let go of Michelle's shoulders and exhaled deeply. _Slowly but surely I'm finding out more about her and Amara. _"Hey, we should get going, I want to see how Amara is doing."

Michelle nodded in agreement, glad for the change of subject. _I slipped up… I can't hide much from him, can I, Bahamut?_ She and Rei regained their pace and walked in silence that allowed for contemplation.

_Apparently. _Bahamut replied. _No doubt this will come back and bite us in the ass._

_Where did you get that colorful phrase? _Michelle asked, mildly amused.

_I picked it up from somewhere. _Her bit beast replied idly.

_I see... _Michelle went quiet. _I wonder what Amara would do if she found out that I already know some of her past? Even though we promised._

_She would probably kick your ass. _Bahamut replied humorlessly.

_I couldn't help it. That dream a few nights ago… _She sighed mentally. _What's done is done. If there were only some way we could somehow get Tiamat back, things would be so much simpler. _

_Things would then be so anti-climatic and not as fun._

_Where the hell did you pick up this sense of humor? _Michelle asked.

_Where else? You._

Michelle sighed, but she was grateful all the same. Bahamut had his unique to cheer her up or at least get her mind off of things. She resigned herself to her fate as they made their way closer to Headquarters. Nothing was ever easy for them.

* * *

Amara stumbled into her room and collapsed onto her bed, not even bothering to take off her cloak. She buried her face into the sheet, exhaling deeply, holding back the tears that were threatening to fall. Every thought hurt, because they all somehow lead back to Tia- No, she wouldn't, she didn't want think of him right now. 

From some reason that Amara could not comprehend, her thoughts turned to Kai. For a small fleeting moment everything felt surreal, but that feeling was shattered just as quickly as it came. "No," She shook her head. "I hate him…" She said, trying to make herself believe her own words, despite the doubt she as feeling. "Do I really hate him?"

Rolling on her back, Amara stared up at the ceiling of her room. Pain rippled through her whole body, causing her to curl up into a tight ball waiting for the sudden pain to go away. "Wha-what the hell?" She gasped out as the burning sensation disappeared. Slowly, she sat up.

Laughter echoed about, whether if it was actual laughter or something that rung in her head, Amara didn't know. She glanced about, that laughter was familiar. She knew it.

There was a knock at her door, she hadn't even realized that she shut her door; in fact she didn't even remember doing just that. Amara placed her head in her hand, trying to clear it.

"Amara?" Michelle's voice came from the other side of the door, before the handle slowly turned and the door was pushed opened just enough for Michelle to poke her head through. "You're awake." Amara moved her hand slightly away from her face to reveal her eyes staring at her dully. "Fine, don't be all happy to see me." Michelle acted hurt as she pushed the door open all the way to show that Rei was standing behind Michelle.

Amara's eyes regarded Rei for a moment, curiosity flickering across the green depths before disappearing. "I can take care of myself, Michelle. You don't need to come and check up on me every possible moment."

Michelle hid her worry. There was no tone to that statement. Normally, Amara would have been annoyed at Michelle's constant treatment of checking up on her when she was feeling 'under the weather'. "We're heading over to Tyson's, wanna come if you're up to it?"

_Going there means seeing Kai… Do I really want to see him? _Amara thought. She shook her head in answer.

"C'mon, Amara, it might do you some good." Rei commented.

Turning her gaze back to Rei, Amara inquired. "What type of good do you mean?" Rei was about to reply but he realized he really didn't have an answer for that. Amara had her gaze leave the two to stare at the bookcase that was positioned across from the foot of her bed.

"We'll be back later." Michelle said and moved back from the threshold and out into the hall shutting the door behind her. Grabbing Rei by the sleeve of his shirt she pulled him along. "See what I mean."

Rei was still at a loss for words as Michelle led him out of the warehouse that served as Wingz Corp Headquarters. He finally managed to find his voice. "I didn't- I didn't realize that it was that bad. Her eyes looked so lifeless. There was absolutely no emotion in her voice, maybe a hint of sorrow and curiosity, but that's about it."

"You missed it, then." Michelle stated.

"Missed what?"

"Asking her if she wanted to come with us to Tyson's place, there was something that shown through for a second. What it was, I do not know, but there was something." Michelle responded. She let out a sigh. "Let's get going. I'm sure the others are probably wondering what's taking us so long."

"Will Amara be all right?"

Michelle smiled vainly. "I don't know."

* * *

Amara continued to stare at her bookcase, long after Michelle and Rei had left. She had purposely kept the only emotion she had left hidden, which is her sorrow. 

The laughter she had heard before echoed around her again. _"Foolish other half."_

Amara glanced around. In just one blink everything around her changed. What she saw above her was not her ceiling, or in front of her was not her room, but an endless veil of gray. Uncurling from her sitting position, she slowly got to her feet.

"Well, well, well. Look who we have here." A voice chuckled behind her.

Amara whipped around. She was met with the amber eyes that belonged to her other self. "What do you want?" She asked tonelessly.

Her amber-eyed self just laughed. "What do I want? Now that's a good question. There are plenty of things that I want, like control for instance."

"What about our deal?" Amara interrogated.

"What deal?" Amber-eyes answered, clearly confused. "We never made a deal. This is actually the first time I've been able to communicate with you, well second, the first time was when I was first created."

Amara was silently digesting this news. _Why doesn't she remember? _An idea came to Amara. _Was it because I died? That she was recreated with no memory of what we agreed to?_

"You are weak, Amara." She accused. "Tiamat deserved better than you, he deserved me."

A small flicker of life appeared in Amara's eyes at Tiamat's name and her other self's claim. "You are me… He was both of ours."

"Heh, wake up. Stop living in a dream. Tiamat wasn't made for you he was made for me. He's a symbol of Death and I'm a symbol of your corruption, your opposite. Arama, fitting isn't it? It's my name. Truthfully, it's your name spelled backwards that's why it's quite fitting." She sneered. "With Tiamat now gone and your _Unity _broken, you are considerably weaker. It's my turn to take control and you can be sure that I won't give it up."

"I'll stop you." Amara growled, as she clenched her hand into a fist, her will growing stronger with each passing moment.

"You can try."

"I will try and succeed. Tiamat told me that I shouldn't hold onto my past so tightly, and so I'm letting go."

"You're a little to late." Arama mocked. "All your anger that you've held onto has left a permanent mark on your soul and you can't be rid of it. Now, let us find out who is the stronger and the more deserving to be in control!" A blade materialized into her hand and she charged at Amara, poised for the kill.

Amara dodged roll out of the blade's path, her green eyes burning with a renewed fire and a blade of her own was clasped in her hand as she got back to her feet. "Tiamat was my friend, but if you fought with him you would just used him as a weapon and nothing more. Merely a way to become to stronger." She twisted the blade, a scimitar, in her hand, the curve of the weapon aligned with her forearm. "Bring it."

Arama bolted forward again as Amara brought up her arm to guard, their scimitars clanged together. Amara pushed Arama forward and flipped her grip on the blade in order to slash at the amber-eyed twin. Arama parried the blow with ease, almost as if she knew it was coming.

The two fought in the gray void, their blades slashing and whirling like a dance of death. When one scored a hit the other would retaliate and achieve one as well.

It was an endless cycle of trust, parry, slash, block, counter, and guard, but as it wore on, the scales began to tip.

Amara was trying to catch her breath and it came in short gasps, she was fast tiring and she knew she couldn't last much longer.

Arama smirked as she struck out and waited for Amara to make the predictable block. Amara shift her guard to block but it was too late to realize the feint for what it was, leaving herself open on her right. The tip of Arama's scimitar rested against Amara's side, leaving a trail of blood. Her amber eyes locked with forest green and she grinned, "I win," driving the blade through.

Amara collapsed grasping her side, writhing in pain on the gray ground as it began to be stain with her blood.

Arama knelt down next to her counterpart, holding both her own and Amara's scimitars. "Don't worry, you're not going to die, you'll heal. But now you have no chance of the stopping me from taking over. Remember the first time? Whose blood did I spill? Ah, yes, your-"

"Shut up!" Amara managed to gasp out between gritted teeth.

"Whose blood shall I spill this time? What about Michelle? From what I've seen of her she seems like a good target. One of those 'never give up without a fight'. Or what about that boy? Kai, was it?"

"Leave them out of this!" Amara clutched her side, stemming the blood flow as she tried getting to her feet. "This deals with only you and me!"

Arama laughed. "You're in denial. I've been watching your actions and your thoughts. You care for this Kai despite how many times you say you hate him." She stood up and kicked Amara, sending her sprawling away. "It will be fun to watch your reaction when I kill him." She licked the blood off her weapon.

"N-no, don't…"

Arama sneered down at her counterpart. "Begging isn't very becoming of you. At least it's better than your annoying 'separation' from the world act." She looked back at Amara and noticed the glare that was fixed on her. "Ah, now that's more like it."

"I'll gain control again." Amara had a matching sneer on her face.

"No you won't, not without Tiamat." Arama replied idly. "Enjoy your time here, 'cause you're going to be stuck here for a long time."

* * *

Amber eyes opened and took in the surroundings. A smirk curled up her lips. "It certainly has been a long time." Stretching her arms above her head, she got off the bed she was sitting on. She walked over to the bookshelf and grabbed the knife that was resting in its sheath. 

Pulling the blade from its case, she twirled it deftly between her fingers. Stopping its spin she brought it up against her left cheek and drew it across her flesh, leaving a deep incision.

Revealing in the pain she was feeling, she chuckled. "It's good to be back and I intend to make this world a living hell. I just have to lay low until Friday, that's when the real fun begins."

* * *

A/N: "Thank you Strata for Arama's name! I would've never thought of it! Now who did Arama kill the first time?" thinks for a moment and grins "I'll never tell! You'll just have to wait and see, or you can always guess... you may get it right. If you haven't guess already, I have a weird and twisted mind to actually come up with the stuff I write, but split personalities are quite fun to write..." shifty eyes "Like always, I enjoy what you have to say about this story, even if it is a condescending statement or what not. So tell me what's on your mind and if you have suggestions or guesses on what might happens next go ahead and make them. The next update might take awhile to come up since I'm still... kinda... writing... it... " coughs "I'll get it up as soon as possible, I promise! But school and extracurricular activities are definately going to get in the way... And please forgive any misspellings and grammatical errors, and if you truly don't understand what I'm trying to say, mention it and I'll check it out." 

Storms-winter: "No, I haven't seen that rule. Personally, I don't think it's that much of a big deal, if it's a rule they should have it posted up on the home/main page or the terms of agreement. After stating in your review that this rule is being put into affect, I looked through all the places where it should be put up but didn't find it. Now, I realize that it might not even be there anymore since it was awhile back but I'm just saying this now. If I get in trouble for reply to reviewers, then so be it. I can always come up with a new account and continue where I left off." exhales "Okay, now that that's over. Thanks for the review! And now I really don't know what else to say..."

storm-of-insanity: "I couldn't think of anything that would work..." shrugs "I guess I could've put that, but like I said before, I couldn't think of anything, I was like staring at the screen for like twenty mintues trying to come up with something... Well, hope you liked this chapter."

Prisca-Angel: "Yay! A new person to review! I'm glad you think me story is pretty nice, and here's the update that you wished for!"


	12. Chapter 12

Michelle didn't know what to think of Tyson's grandfather when he met Rei and her at the door. Carrying around his bamboo sword, he led them around back to where the others where waiting.

Max and Tyson were battling, using no dish as they went at it. Kai was leaning up against one of the beams that supported the roof over the porch, Reno was standing out in the yard refereeing the battle, and Haru was standing over Kenny's shoulder, studying the data that Dizzi was collecting. Ari and Hillary were sitting a little ways away, legs dangling over the edge of the porch, talking in low tones.

"Hey Rei, Michelle!" Max called, turning away from his battle.

"Max!" Reno scolded. "Pay attention!"

"Sorry," Max scratched the back of his head, grinning slightly.

"What took you guys?" Reno asked once he was sure that Max was now paying attention. Rei shrugged in reply as they all looked up at the two latecomers.

"How is Amara?" Ari asked timidly.

After Dragoon made another go at Draciel's defensive position, Tyson called he blade back to his hand. "Yeah, how is she, and what exactly is wrong with her?"

Max called Draciel back to his own waiting hand, ignoring the exasperated sigh Reno gave since the two never finished their battle. "Now that I think of it, she did look a little pale yesterday, but then again I would be too."

Rei kept silent. He didn't know how much he should reveal to the others. It would be better to have Michelle handle this.

Michelle sighed and walked over to the porch, sitting down on the step and leaning back against the porch. Everyone gathered closer around her, waiting for her to talk.

"Michelle?" Haru inquired. "Is everything all right?"

Michelle smiled bitterly. "No, not really. It's worse than we had originally thought."

"Hey! What the heck are you guys talking about?" Tyson interrupted.

"Ask a question and I'll see if I can answer." Michelle stated simply. "But some things I will not give away."

"Wha-?" Tyson had a confusion plastered across his face.

"Is Amara's bit beast gone?" Kai asked, he had remained in his place and was somewhat secluded from the others.

Michelle blinked and the rest of Wingz Corp followed her lead. "How did you know?"

"She mentioned that she couldn't reach him when I was helping her back to your Headquarters." Kai answered. "So is it true?"

Michelle nodded solemnly. "Yeah, Tiamat is gone. It's affecting Amara probably more than any of you could imagine."

"How so?" Max pressed.

Michelle gave a sigh. "Another promise broken…" She muttered. "This will be news to all of you." The Wingz Corp members inclined their heads in understanding, "Amara is difficult… she's always been what's known as a berserker, she told me so herself. Berserkers are known in Norse mythology, recklessly throwing themselves into battle, using one emotion to fuel their bloodlust; anger. Amara is certainly no exception. One has to wonder where all her anger comes from and why is it so terrible. But besides that, there is something more, and that is control."

Rei gazed at Michelle. _Is this what she accidentally let slip before? _

Michelle continued. "From what I've been able to gather Amara's berserker side seems to have manifested into something more. When, where, or how, I don't know. It seems when Amara was younger, she lost control of her other self and she must had done something horrible that Amara became afraid of losing control again."

"When Amara was fighting Damian, didn't she have control?" Haru inquired.

Michelle shook her head. "No, she told me that neither had more control than the other, they worked in unity."

"But how does now make it any different?" Kai asked.

"Because she died and Tiamat is gone." Ari whispered.

"You're afraid that since Amara is separating herself and without Tiamat her 'berserker' self will take over?" Tyson inquired. Everyone was seemingly shocked at his intelligent question. "What?"

"You really are an idiot." Hillary said exasperatedly

"And why's that?" Tyson shot back, jumping to his feet.

Hillary placed her hands on her hips and glared. "Because here you are, with actually some intelligence and you never show it!"

"I really don't think this is the time for one of you spats." Dizzi commented, unusually serious.

"Dizzi's right." Kenny remarked. "There's more, isn't there Michelle?"

Michelle sighed and inclined her head. "Tyson, to answer your question, yes I am afraid and probably with good reason." She stretched out her legs before her idly. "I figure that with Tiamat's help, Amara was able to live almost normally without worrying too much. If her other side does take over… Who knows what could happen. And who knows what we would have to do to stop her…"

"How did you figure out all this?" Kai asked.

"In a dream." Michelle said cryptically. She then elaborated further. "I watched Amara as she slept. It was the morning after our house was burned down by Black Dranzer. I wanted to make sure that she was okay. I entered her room and she was dreaming, talking in her sleep. The things she was saying… I've never seen her so terrified… So since then I've been filling in blanks and coming to my own conclusions, and I believe that most of my assumptions are correct, if not all of them."

Everyone sat in silence, taking in everything Michelle had just told them.

"So what are we to do now?" Reno asked.

"Everything is just too complicated right now. It would be best to just wait it out. Who knows maybe Amara will pull through…" Michelle exhaled deeply.

"Hey, Reno?" Ari turned to the redhead. Reno regarded her curiously and his eyes widened marginally when he noticed the sly smirk upon her lips. "How 'bout a little match to get everyone's mind off all this melancholy."

Reno grinned mischievously. "Sure."

Everyone regarded the two before Tyson piped up, "This should be awesome!"

Michelle was thankful that Ari had suggested a match to take their minds off of everything they had been discussing. It also seemed to get everyone else's minds on something else. Well, almost everyone.

Kai crossed his arms over his chest, his eyes closed in thought. _What could've happened to her all those years ago?_ It took him a moment to realize that he wasn't alone. Standing next to him was Haru. They watched in silence as the others waited for Ari and Reno to finish their preparations for their battle.

"It's not really that strange to think that Amara has held onto so much anger." Haru broke the silence.

"Why do you say that?" Kai asked curtly.

Haru shrugged. "Maybe if she was trained more to fight without emotions she could've been great. But how great would it be not to feel anything?" The corner of his mouth twitched slightly, as if wanting to smirk. "I should know and surely you must know that as well. With all your years at the Abbey."

Kai narrowed his eyes at the mention. "And what would you know about it?"

Haru gave him a blank look. "Probably more than you think, Kai." He shrugged and brushed back his platinum hair. "Looks like Kenny and Dizzi are ready from them to start the battle."

"Ready, Reno?" Ari asked wryly, her disposition of being a kind, weak person, melting away with those two words.

"You bet, Angel." Reno replied and devil of a grin curling up his face. He lifted up his launcher.

"Whoa… Ari seems so… so… un-Ari-like." Max remarked and Tyson readily agreed.

"It's a good tactic for her." Michelle explained. "Everyone sees her as someone who is weak and she actually promotes that look, it throws her opponents off-guard and gives her an advantage when they underestimate her by thinking she is vulnerable."

Hillary's eyes were wide as she watched her new friend grin wickedly as she squared off against her partner.

"Alright you guys! 3! 2! 1!" Tyson shouted. "Let it rip!"

"Show him how it's done, Ark!" Ari encouraged her white and gold embroidered blade.

"Give her hell, Firen!" Reno yelled, his red and orange blade driving into Ari's. The two blades did not give way to one another, each were grinding against each other, tendrils of energy whipping out.

"You've gotten stronger since the last time we fought, Hell." Ari commented.

"Likewise, Angel." Reno smirked.

"Whoa, Chief!" Dizzi exclaimed. "Check out these energy readings! They're extraordinary!"

Rei watched the couple battle. He noted the amusement in their voices and in their eyes as they bantered lightly back and forth. His eyes trailed over to Michelle. She was studying the two, almost like some sort of teacher or mentor.

"We're getting no where, Angel." Reno stated. "Let's raise the stakes a little bit." He closed his eyes as bright flames blazed about him, caressing his skin. Everyone recoiled back from the fire, even though it burned nothing the heat was still excruciating.

Before Dizzi could remark about the fire, Michelle was already answering. "Reno has total control over his fire, burning only what he wants it to burn."

Reno's eyes snapped open and he swung his hand forward. "_Unity Blade!_" The flames enclosed about him, melding against his body and forming into a heavy armor the color of rubies. The flames gathered at his back, along his shoulder blades before stretching out behind him in the form of wings. The wings were the flames themselves, taking shape before shifting about in a strange fiery dance of a changing blaze.

Ari smirked. "It's about time. Ark! _Unity Blade!_" A flash of the purest form of light blinded everyone, once their eyes regained focus Dizzi let out a startled gasp. Ari stood there; her snowy wings were elegant enough that if angels were capable of jealousy they would be looking on with envy. In her gloved right, hand between her pointer and middle fingers, she held on to a downy white feather. Ari's white armor was supple and was adorn with intricate golden designs.

"That armor is just so cool!" Tyson exclaimed. He looked over at Michelle. "How can I get armor like that?" He practically begged.

Michelle shrugged. "No idea. We didn't know ourselves that with _Unity _we would get our own armor. And I don't know if the _Unity _would work with a bit beast like Dragoon." Tyson looked slightly crestfallen at that but his excitement soon returned.

"Ark, come forth!" Ari cried, looking a little worse for wear with a few cuts across the exposed skin of her face and arms.

Everyone had to cover their eyes yet again as the light that shot from Ari's blade blinded them. The light receded as a human-like figure emerged. Three pairs of snowy wings stretched out as the figure straightened. It looked like a man with long platinum hair that reached his calves, wearing armor and a blindfold over his eyes. Strapped to the angel's side was a sword.

"That's Ark," Haru said nonchalantly to Kai. "Probably one of the more human-like bit beasts that you'll ever encounter."

Kai didn't say anything to acknowledge what Haru was stating. He looked over to Reno expectantly, waiting for him to pull out his bit beast.

Reno wasn't looking to well either. Like Ari, he had a various number of scrapes across his exposed skin. "Firen!" Reno yelled as flames increased about him and his blade. A pillar of fire shot up from his blade, slowly taking shape. A komodo dragon like head emerged from the fire, its tongue flicking out, tasting the air. The fire drew back to the joints of the lizard's shoulders, becoming wings. The scales of its back soon shifted to golden fur, the lizard's hind legs were those of a lion's and its tail was tipped in fire.

The two blades slammed into each other, sending shockwaves of light and fire. Tyson, Kenny, Max and Hillary all yelped as Reno's fire whipped passed them but leaving them unscathed. Michelle, Haru, Rei and Kai stood impassively, ignoring the flame.

"Reno, are you ready?" Ari asked sweetly. "Heaven's Judgment won't wait much longer."

"You know me, Ari, I never really had a thing for authority, much less any judgment placed upon me." Reno replied.

"Very well then, Hell." Ari's eyes narrowed. "It ends here."

"Couldn't agree with you more." Reno's fiery wings wrapped around him, enveloping slightly. Firen let out a hiss at Ark as the archangel drew out his sword.

"Ark! Judgment!" Ari shouted.

"Firen! Vulcan Wave!" Reno yelled.

Ark unsheathed his sword and reached a hand up to the blindfold. The longer fingers of the archangel curled around the cloth and pulled it away from his face. Ark's eyes remained closed as he held out his sword in front of him as it began to glow, starting from the hilt moving up to the sharp tip.

Firen opened his mouth as molten lava dripped from his mouth like saliva. The temperature in the yard began to rise, causing everyone but Reno to perspire. Fire began to grow in the back of the lizard-like creature's throat, causing it to glow.

When Ark's sword was fully engulfed in light, both hands enclosed around the hilt as the blade was held before his face. His eyes snapped out, pupil-less and stark white, and he charged forward. The beyblade beneath his form was encased in light and energy as it drove straight at Reno's blade.

Firen, following Ark's lead, leaped forward, lava still dripping from its fanged mouth. Its flame wings grew in intensity and the fire tipped tail lashed about. Its beyblade was burning as it spun, sparks shot out from it as it made its way to meet Ari's blade.

The two bit beasts and the two blades connected resulting in a small explosion, sending up dust and dirt, blocking everyone's view. When it finally cleared, both blades laid motionless on the ground next to each other. Ari and Reno were both panting, barely able to stay on their feet. The armor that adorned them was beginning to fade, until only the wings remained.

Reno smirked as his fire wings finally died away and the warmth that they brought with them faded. "That was probably one of our better matches."

Ari chuckled, her snowy wings receding. She was still holding on to one of the feathers. "That's only because you didn't lose." Turning to their spectators she smiled. "I hope it was enjoyable for you to watch."

"That was amazing!" Kenny was exclaimed, as he watched part of a recording that Dizzi made of the battle.

"Chief, the power outputs are uploaded." Dizzi remarked. "It seems that Ark favors a more offensive route, much like Dranzer's attacks, but with a little less attack power. Firen relies on a more defensive, evasive route like Drigger and Draciel combined."

"We could have told you that," Reno stated. "You can't trust stats or any readouts, because once you get into a real battle, adrenaline will kick in and you'll become even more powerful."

"Reno does have a valid point, we are living proof of that." Michelle said. "But don't think that we believe data is useless, it does have its uses. However, it is unreliable considering we can boost our energy when go into _Unity_ and from there raise it even more if the battle calls for it."

"That goes the same for us," Rei replied. "We, too, can do that, but Dizzi records our base power as a basis for us to build on."

"Are all ya staying over for dinner?" Grandpa asked, coming out of nowhere.

All the Wingz Corp members glanced to each other, before the other three fixed their gazes on Michelle. She thought for a second. "I don't know. What time is it, anyway?"

"It's almost five." Max answered.

Haru crossed his arms over his chest. "Personally, I want to head back, you guys can stay here if you want to."

Ari flopped down onto the porch. "If you don't mind, I would like to stay. I've had enough of Reno's cooking for a while."

Reno put on a hurt look. "My cooking isn't that bad!"

"Only if you like you food well-done and extra crispy." Michelle teased.

"I think the same could be said for your cooking as well, Michelle." Haru remarked.

"Can't cook to save my life and proud of it." Michelle shot back with a grin.

The BladeBreakers watched the playful banter half lost and half amused.

"No one can be as bad as Amara, though." Ari commented.

Reno laughed. "Like the one time when she was trying to boil water. It was lucky that Haru came when he did, before Amara set HQ on fire whether it be from the stove or her black fire."

Tyson finally cleared his throat to get their attention. "Are you staying or not?" The four suddenly seemed to remember that they weren't alone.

"Ari, Reno, and I will be staying." Michelle answered.

"Haru, you're not going to stay?" Hillary asked.

Haru shook his head. "I have things that I need to do."

"C'mon, Haru." Max insisted, but Haru just shook his head.

"Sorry, but I must decline." He inclined his head to them in goodbye. "I'm leaving now. I'll see you guys later." He bowed to Tyson's grandpa before walking past and heading out.

"I'm not staying either." Kai announced abruptly. With that said, he left.

"That was… brusque." Ari remarked.

"'Brusque?'" Tyson inquired.

Ari chuckled. "Means brief or abrupt."

"Oh."

"I wonder what Haru needs to do." Michelle thought aloud. Even though she wasn't expecting replies she did get a number of shrugs.

* * *

Haru walked away from Tyson's house, heading in the opposite direction from Headquarters. He was well aware that he was being followed by none other then Kai. He walked along leisurely, having a destination in mind. 

After about fifteen minutes of walking he reached his objective. It was one of the many small parks around the neighborhood. He stopped and waited for Kai to come up to him.

Kai stood a few paces away and warily watched Haru's back. "What do you know of the Abbey?" He demanded.

The muscles around Haru's mouth twitched slightly. "Enough." He answered vaguely. "But before I answer your question, I have one of my own." He turned around; his steel eyes were narrowed, cold and calculating. "If I told you there was a way to find and retrieve Tiamat, would you do it?" He held up a hand to keep Kai from answering. "Because the thing is, for it to work you have to tell me how you see Amara for I need to know if you truly see who she is."

"What do you mean?" Kai asked.

"Exactly what I just said." Haru replied. "The only way to get Tiamat back is if you can truly see Amara for who she is, every good and bad aspect."

"Why do I need to? Why do I have to 'see' who Amara is?"

"Because you don't realize it." Haru answered.

"Realize what?" Kai was beginning to grow impatient.

"Tiamat was reborn again, but not in any way we would've realized. Tiamat was reborn again inside of you Kai."

Kai's eyes widened marginally. "How?"

Haru shrugged. "I don't know, but I do have a theory. But in order for Tiamat to awakened again, you must serve as a catalyst, that is why you must 'see' who Amara really is if anything is to return to normal."

"How do you know that Tiamat is inside of me?"

"I was trained to recognize those with bit beast that have immense power. Every person has a bit beast that is part of their souls; those bit beasts emerge when their owner is in great danger or in a state of fear, loneliness, or sorrow. However not all bit beasts can show themselves because they are weak, but they can still bring out comfort. Watching you, with Solus' help, we were able to see that there is another entity in you and it's not Dranzer."

"Then why haven't I realized that Tiamat is with me?" Kai asked.

Haru shrugged his shoulders in reply. "No idea."

"And this training," Kai continued, "Why and where did you receive it?"

"Simple." Haru replied. "Why I received the training, world domination. Where, the same place you were trained, the Abbey."

A/N: "Ahh! I HATE the way this chapter has turned out and no matter how many times I wrote it, it still just doesn't sound right. The same could be said for the next chapter as well. Sorry that this took a while to be updated, I've been busy and like I said before, the chapter just didn't flow like I wanted it to. Anyway, chapter 13 might take a while as well, I'm only about half way through it and I already want to destroy it because it doesn't sound right." Mutters "stupid filler chapters… Sorry for any grammatical or spelling errors. Hope you enjoyed the little fight between Reno and Ari!"

No responses this chapter… sorry. But thank you for reviewing! I enjoy reading what you guys have to say!


	13. Special! Poem My Other Half

A/N: Hey all! The next chapter is almost done and I'll probably have it up by the weekend, I just have to fix a few small problems. Anyway, this poem is just a little "teaser" you could say, it's about Amara/Arama. Hope you enjoy and Chapter 13 will be up in at the most 4 days.

* * *

_My Other Half_

I have a secret

That no one knows

I hide the truth

Deep within my soul

So lock it up

Throw away the key

Don't let it out...

From inside of me

Meet my other half

We're so alike, we're different

People just can't see

This is also me

It's just who I don't

Want to be.

I am the secret

Still locked inside

I hide away

In all these lies

Biding my time

'Til I am free

I will get out...

From inside of thee.

Meet my other half

We're so alike, we're different

People just can't see

This is also me

It's just who I don't

Want to be

I'm losing my grip (I'm gaining control)

Body, mind, and soul

This is my secret (I am the secret)

Which is really me?

* * *


	14. Chapter 13

After dinner, Tyson started to recount and reenact his past beybalding exploits, with the other BladeBreakers throwing in comments or their own opinions.

Michelle slipped outside to think. She thought she managed to get out unnoticed but Rei managed to spot her. Leaning against the porch beam and staring out into the yard, she asked, "What do you want?"

Rei walked over and stood few feet to her left. "The same thing as before; I want to help."

Michelle sighed exasperatedly, "Why do you want to help so bad?"

"Because you guys are my friends, and it goes against my honor not to help."

"In this world, honor is worthless." Michelle answered curtly. "Many have lost their honor or given it up for materialistic things."

"What about your honor? Have you lost it or given it up?" Rei countered.

"Yes."

"I wouldn't think so." Rei continued. "You still have your honor because you still want to help Amara even though you found out things about her that she wanted to keep secret." Michelle went silent, avoiding any eye contact with Rei. "Michelle…"

"I told you that I saw Amara dreaming a couple days back, and how she looked so terrified. But the things she was saying I still don't want to believe."

"What? What was she saying?"

"She was saying that she didn't mean to kill them, that 'the blood on her hands were not her hands', and other things that I wasn't able to catch." Michelle replied.

"'The blood on her hands were not her hands'?" Rei repeated. "What does that mean?"

"I can't be sure, but I think that she's talking about her berserker side."

Rei walked over and placed a hand on her shoulder. "Michelle, will you please accept my help?"

Michelle looked over at his hand that was resting on her shoulder before turning to look Rei in the eye. "Even if you find out things that you won't like about us, would you still want to help?"

Rei nodded, "Yes,"

For a second, Rei noticed a sad glimmer in Michelle eyes before it was erased quickly and replaced by a smirk. "Just to humor your honor, I'll accept your help." She replied.

Rei caught the act for what it was. Michelle was purposefully keeping her attitude jokingly and light so Rei wouldn't see that she was hiding the sad gratitude. "Let's head back inside, I'm sure the others finally noticed our absence." He remarked and Michelle nodded in agreement

The two of them headed back into the house with something more than just an alliance forged between them.

* * *

"You were trained at the Abbey?" Kai inquired. "I don't remember seeing you there." 

"Probably because you never did see me." Haru replied. "I was mostly kept in isolation, erasing every emotion, until I was nothing more then a living weapon, and for awhile I was like that. Solus was never like how he is now, he was changed and experimented on, just as I was. You know of the things they did there. My main purpose was to decide if a bit beast was worthy and strong enough. To discern their true power, and truthfully I was quite good at what I did."

"How long were you at the Abbey?"

"For as long as I can remember. I wouldn't be surprised if I was born there. I've only escaped a few years ago and been living at Wingz Corp since then."

"Did you ever meet Tala?"

Haru nodded. "Yeah, he helped me to get out of there. He could've escaped as well but he didn't and I could never figure out why."

_Tala, you had a chance to escape that hell, why didn't you take it? _Kai thought.

"I think that it is your turn, Kai." Haru remarked. "I've answered your question before you answered mine, actually I've answered quite a few of your questions already. Now, would you do whatever it takes to awaken Tiamat for Amara? Or more appropriately, is Amara even worth your time?"

Kai went silent, thinking through his reply. He remained quiet for a few minutes as Haru waited patiently. "Yes, she is worth my time."

"I guess that answer is good enough for now." Haru remarked. "I'm heading to Headquarters, you can come if you want."

"You haven't told the others, have you?" Kai asked Haru's retreating back.

Haru's stride faltered at the question and he stopped to face Kai. "No, I haven't. I won't tell them either, not until Tiamat is back with Amara. Giving someone false hope is something I could and would never do."

Kai gazed at Haru for a moment before nodding in understanding. Haru turned back around and continued on his way towards Wing Corp with Kai following a few paces behind.

* * *

Arama was surprised to see Haru and Kai walking down the sidewalk towards the building when she randomly gazed out one of the windows. And it was lucky that she did. After the initial shock wore off she scowled. "What is with these people that they can't leave Amara alone for more then a few hours?" Slipping into the nearest room with a mirror, which happened to be Ari's, she gazed hard at her own reflection. 

She was glad that she had decided to clean the blood away from her self-inflicted cut, but she couldn't hide the fact that it was fresh and there was no way to hide it. Figuring out a story for the cut was a minor problem at best, but her amber eyes were a whole other story.

With no other option, Arama store down her reflection willing her eyes to change to Amara's dark green, and much to her surprise, they did. Well, partially. They were green, but one could make out the amber around the edges of the irises and pupils. "That will just have to do." Arama sighed uncharacteristically before breaking out in a sardonic smirk. "To bad that I have to act like Amara if I want to keep my cover for Friday. It would be quite fun to show myself now and watch the chaos that ensues. Guess I just have to see how it goes," She stated to herself. "Truthfully, I've never been that good at acting."

Erasing all emotions from her visage, Arama gave her reflection one last scrutinizing gaze before leaving the room. Heading to the lounge, she sat down and waited, playing different scenarios through her mind on what she could do that would be the most beneficial for her thirst for chaos.

* * *

Haru and Kai walked the whole way in complete silence, silence that Kai was thankful for. It allowed him think through what Haru had told him 

Now that he knew there was something different about himself, Kai could focus on it. There it was, deep inside of him, almost like some sort of emotion, was Tiamat. Nothing more than a small speck of light amidst a sea of obsidian. How to awaken Tiamat was the next question.

* * *

Amara lay curled on the ground in a tight ball, hands covering her ears. Trying to block out the thoughts of her counterpart, trying to but failing. She scowled as she could still her Arama's thoughts and schemes, before suddenly they stopped. 

_She's blocking me out so I can't hear anything._

Recognition suddenly filled her and Amara bolted up right, glancing about. What she was feeling was familiar but at the same time so foreign.

"Tiamat?" She whispered, confused. "H-how?" Slowly getting to her feet, she winced slightly. The wound in her side had closed rather quickly but it remained sore. Turning in a full circle, she examined the blank grayness that surrounded her. _He can't be here… but why, then, do I feel him?_ She thought.

Amara closed her eyes and exhaled deeply. She tried to recreate the mind-link between Tiamat and herself that was broken when _Unity _was shattered. She focused the best she could on the small feeling of recognition, as faint and distorted as it was.

* * *

Haru reached out to open the door but stopped short when he heard Kai staggered. He turned to regard him as Kai regained his footing. 

Kai had felt a something… strange and that was the only way for him to explain it. Whatever it was, it seemed like it was trying to reach Tiamat through him and he didn't trust it. Kai glanced back up at Haru and inclined his head.

Haru paused for a moment before opening the door and stepping through. Slipping off his shoes he walked through the halls with Kai at his heels. He walked over to the kitchen, glancing over his shoulder he asked, "You want anything to eat?" Kai shook his head in reply. Haru shrugged and proceeded to grab a slice of bread.

Kai gazed about, his eyes falling on the clock that read 6:07. The place seemed dark; despite it was still decently early. Eerily dark. His crimson eyes narrowed; something was off.

Haru seemed to pick up on it as well as he swallowed the rest of his plain piece of bread. His was thankful for some of the training the Abbey had given him, like sensing when something was wrong.

The two walked through the house coming up to the lounge to find that they weren't the only ones around.

Amara turned to face them as the entered the lounge, face expressionless. "Haru, Kai." She greeted.

Haru took a step forward and moved to a seat across from Amara; Kai remained standing behind him. "Amara, I didn't think you would be up. How are you feeling?"

Amara looked away and it was a moment before she returned her attention to them and replied. "I'm… fine." Kai warily watched her. There was something corrupt about Amara, but he couldn't place it. "Are the others still at Tyson's?" She asked.

"Yeah," Haru responded. "I don't know how long they're staying there though."

Arama fought the urge to narrow her eyes. Not wanting to blow her cover she stood up and turned away from the two.

"Where are you going?" Haru inquired.

"Out." She answered without regarding him and headed out.

Hearing the door shut, Haru looked back at Kai. "That was unusual,"

* * *

Arama grabbed Amara's cloak and donned it before heading out into the street. She pulled the cowl low of her face, mumbling to herself. "Bastards… They can't leave poor Amara well enough alone," She sneered. "But… It's interesting to see that Tiamat is still around, more so inside of Kai." A feral grin found its way across her lips. "This is going to be more fun then I originally thought. The only thing that is left is some minor preparations." 

Arama stepped out into the road and stopped in the middle, turning around to look down the road where Headquarters was situated. Oncoming traffic came to a halt, she still didn't move.

"Get the hell out of the road!" One of the drivers yelled, leaning out the window of his car.

Arama placed her gaze on him, even though the cloak shadowed her face the driver still recoiled away from her. She scoffed and continued to cross. "Idiots."

"You can't blame them for their stupidity," Remarked a deep voice behind her.

"I know that you've been following me for a while. So, what do you want?" Arama asked without turning around, standing still on the empty sidewalk as cars continued to pass.

"You need my help." The voice responded.

Arama's eyes narrowed into slits even though he couldn't see the action. She made sure that Amara was still blocked out so she could not hear anything that was going on. "And why is that?" She inquired curtly.

The owner of the voice walked over to stand in front of her. He stood a few inches taller than Arama lean but muscular. He had hair that was as black as Tiamat's scales and eyes that were the color of rust. He was clothed in black jeans and a black jacket that was unbuttoned showing the white T-shirt he wore underneath. "You need a blade for your match tomorrow, dear Amara's other half, and I can provide you with that."

"Ha!" Arama scoffed as she pulled back the hood of her cloak. She then grabbed him by the collar of his shirt and pulled his face down towards hers so they were only a few inches apart. "I can take care of myself." She snarled in the stranger's face.

He remained calm and collected. "That I already know, but you would be wise to accept."

Arama store him down before chuckling lowly. "Wisdom isn't one of my strong points, but instinct is." She gave his collar a swift tug before letting him go. "And instinct is telling me to accept your help; for the time being."

Straightening his collar, he held out his hand to her. "Amara's other half, I am Ryld."

"Ryld, I am Amara's other half, but you can call me Arama." She clasped his hand.

"There is one more person that I need to introduce you to." Ryld glanced over Arama's shoulder. "You already know him, well your other half does anyway." A person stepped out of shadows from behind Arama. She turned around to face the newcomer.

"And you are?" Arama asked, studying the dark haired boy with chocolate colored eyes.

"You don't know who I am, Arama the other half of Amara?" The boy asked.

Arama continued to study him before replying, "I don't know much. I've only seen a little bit outside of my cage that I have been imprisoned in by the wretch Tiamat. He's a strong ally, yes, but a pain in the ass." She only scratched the surface of Amara's own memories so she wouldn't be detected. "Damian, right? There was something between you and Amara wasn't there? Surrounding your name in Amara's memories is nothing less than complete loathing." She chuckled. "I think you and I are going to get along quite nicely."

* * *

It was around 9 o'clock when Michelle and the others finally left Tyson's, turning down the offer of staying the night there. 

"Thanks, but no." Michelle responded, standing outside the gate of Tyson's house. "We are rivals, remember?"

"Maybe we'll see you guys tomorrow?" Max asked hopefully.

Reno shrugged. "Maybe."

"Michelle, remember, if you guys ever need help, you can count on us," Rei said determinedly.

"Yeah!" Tyson exclaimed.

"We'll keep that in mind," Michelle answered with a small smile. Ari and Reno bowed and started heading back, leaving Michelle behind. She watched them for a moment before turning back to the BladeBreakers. "Thanks for everything," She bowed before turning on her heel to walk away.

Rei reached out and grabbed her arm. "Michelle, don't forget."

She faced him for a moment before replying. "I won't." Easing herself out of his grasp she left and out of habit, pulled the cowl of her hood over her face.

With a coy look on his face, Tyson slid over to Rei and nudged him in the ribs. "What was that all about, Rei? Hm?"

Rei managed to hide the color that was tempting to appear on his face. "What are you talking about Tyson?"

"You know what I'm talking about," Tyson retorted before he started mimicking Rei. "'Michelle, don't forget.'" He managed to say, making his eyes all big and shiny before letting out a long, drawn out sigh.

"Knock it off, Tyson." Rei practically ordered, golden eyes narrowing.

"Tyson, maybe you should listen to Rei," Max stated.

"Yeah," Kenny readily agreed.

"Aw, c'mon!" Tyson complained, but immediately stopped when he saw that Rei had a feral look in his eyes, like a tiger that was stalking its prey. "Heh, no hard feelings, right, buddy?" Tyson chuckled nervously.

* * *

A/N: "Well, this came out sooner than expected. I would like to thank Strata-Assassin and Storms-winter for their encouraging reviews, it got me writing and allowed me to get this out a LOT faster and sooner then I expected. So, THANKS! There wasn't much happening in this one and the next one might be the same, but the one after that should be a little bit more excitomg. Forgive any mistakes in here and like I said in the previous chapter, these are just the filler chapters." 

(Review replies from chapter 12)

Strata-Assassin: "Don't you DARE toss your story!" threatens with both scimitars "I know when you proof read the chapter 12 you said it wasn't bad but I didn't believe you (I still don't) but it's nice to see that there is another person who agrees and I think that made the difference."

Storms-winter: "Speaking of the other person... Thank you for the nice review! I'm glad that the pervious chapter made sense and I hope that this one did as well. Here's the next bit you wanted!"


	15. Chapter 14

Michelle stepped through the door, trailing Reno and Ari. Kicking off her shoes, she headed towards the lounge to find Haru. "You and Kai didn't kill each other?" She asked with a look of mock surprise.

"He didn't stay long." Haru responded.

"And Amara?" She prompted.

"Left as well."

"With Kai?"

Haru shook his head. "When we came in, she was sitting here. We exchanged a few words and she just got up and left. I didn't mention anything to her nor did Kai, but she did have a fresh cut across her cheek. Knife and self-inflicted by my guess."

Michelle collapsed in a chair and sighed. Haru studied her while she sat silent. "I'm not going to worry." She announced at last. "I mean, I will worry, but this is Amara's problem and I won't interfere unless she asks of me. I'll trust her enough that she will be ready for Friday."

"You know," Reno started, walking into the room with Ari by his side, "Amara's too proud to ask for help. You should know that by now."

"I believe that we should focus our attention on Damian." Ari stated. "We need to find him and find out who he is in league with."

"I agree." Haru conceded. "We may not even be dealing with BioVolt, it could be a whole new faction or even some independent group."

"If it is some independent group, what do they want with us?" Reno countered. "We've kept to the shadows and out of anything that would draw attention to us. This tournament is the first thing that we've done to draw any attention. So, I'll say again, what have we done to get some group after us?"

"I still stand by Amara in agreeing that that it is BioVolt." Michelle remarked.

"Michelle…" Ari began in a small voice. "What if Damian wasn't the only traitor?"

"What are you getting at Ari?" Michelle asked, taken aback by Ari's strange inquiry. Haru and Reno both turned to gaze at her expectantly.

"What if… What if Damian wasn't the only traitor?" She reiterated. "What if Amara is in this as well? I don't want to believe it myself, but looking at all angles, there is a possibility."

Michelle bit back a retort. But, in one way or another, Ari had a point. Michelle inhaled deeply and let out her breath slowly. "I trust Amara, and I will continue to do so, despite how things are and seem."

Ari smiled. "Good."

_It seemed that Ari was testing you. _Bahamut remarked.

_It also seems that I passed. _Michelle replied. _Bahamut? Would you trust Amara? With all that has been happening? Her disappearances and the fact that her berserker half could be in control would you still trust her?_

_When you put it like that, no. However, would you still trust her if she suddenly went around wearing a pink dress and wishing the world peace?_

Michelle started laughing, causing Reno, Haru and Ari to cast her a weird glance before figuring that Bahamut was somehow involved. When she managed to control her snickers and brush away the image of Amara in such an outfit, she replied to Bahamut, _No, I wouldn't trust her then either. But I see your point._

_I had a point? _Bahamut inquired. _Besides the point that you had a very creative picture of Amara in that dress. Never had I seen so much lace, bows-_

_Enough!_

"Something amusing?" Reno decided to break in, much to Michelle's relief since she didn't have a good retort.

"Bahamut is just being himself." Michelle replied to Reno.

"Care to share?" Ari asked.

The image returned and Michelle vigorously shook her head. "I'd rather not."

_C'mon, Michelle, tell them! _Bahamut urged.

_What about an image of you in that dress? _Michelle retorted and Bahamut went silent.

* * *

"So, you guys said you can provide me with a blade," Arama started, walking along side Ryld with Damian a few paces behind. It was nine and the streets were quiet and dark. "How specific can you get on the modifications?"

Ryld chuckled. "You don't miss a beat do you?"

"Not when things need to be done." Arama stated with a wicked smirk. "Whom are you guys working for anyway?"

"You'll see. That's where we're taking you anyway." Ryld replied.

Arama became thoughtful. "The name doesn't happen to be Boris, does it?"

Ryld kept a wry smirk. "You'll find out soon enough." Arama focused a heated glare on him before turning her gaze back in front of her.

Damian watched Arama carefully. _She is almost exactly like Amara. Every movement, every gesture, sure her mannerisms are a little more extreme, but it is still basically Amara._

_What did you expect, human? They are the same person._

_Black Dranzer._

_And this is part of the very person who almost defeated me._

_She holds no ties to Amara. She is a strong asset._ Damian stared at her back, images of the battle with Amara flickering into view, images of the _Perfect Unity_.

_We need that power, human._

_Indeed. _

Arama could feel Damian's eyes upon her as a chill ran down her spine. She turned to face him. "See something you like?" She asked with a sly look. Damian was jolted out of his thoughts and his face flushed slightly. Arama smirked before turning away. Facing forward her smirk had completely disappeared. _He's the one with Black Dranzer; I would give anything for that power! _

The headlights of the car behind them shone on them and their shadows lengthened. A black limo pulled out beside them and Ryld stopped. The window rolled down just barely and an order of, "Get in," drifted out.

Damian pulled open the door and climbed in. Ryld stood next to the door and held it open for Arama. She could not see the passenger who ordered them in so she hesitated. Ryld grinned at her incredulous look his rusty eyes glinting in the darkening night. "What do your instincts tell you now?" He asked with feigned innocence.

Arama narrowed her amber eyes, wanting to kill him for his superior tone. "They're telling me two different things. One, to kill you and continue on my own, two, to play this game for a little while longer."

"I really think you should choose option two," Ryld commented.

"Why is that?" Arama demanded.

Ryld shrugged as Arama felt the cool blade of a knife held up against her throat. "Because I'm here." Came the deep timbre of the knife wieldier.

_Shit! I didn't even hear him! _Arama bit back a growl. _They'll pay for this. _She didn't bother to glance behind; instead she kept her intense gaze on Ryld.

"Don't be like that," Ryld said. "I wouldn't want to scar your pretty face anymore than it already is." He walked over and traced a finger along the self-inflicted cut.

Arama smiled coldly and Ryld was caught off guard at her sudden change of visage. She slipped her hand between the blade and her throat grabbing a hold of the sharp edge, pulling it out of her captor's hand. She held it out in front of her, hilt first, offering it to Ryld. Tightening her grip on the blade, she continued to smile as blood dripped to the ground.

Ryld held up a hand to whoever was behind Arama, keeping him at bay. He looked from the knife to Arama and back to the knife again. He reached out to take it from her.

Within a blink of an eye, Arama flipped the blade over and slashed it across his palm all the while smiling.

Ryld let out a hiss of surprise and recoiled his hand. He glanced at the incision. "You have to make things difficult don't you?"

Arama narrowed his eyes into a glare with her lips still upturned, resulting in an unnerving effect. "I don't like being stabbed in the back, neither figuratively nor literally. I'll let this one mistake slide but don't expect another chance. Consider that cut a warning."

"Indeed." Ryld remarked.

The male who held the knife up to her throat walked by and stood next to Ryld. He looked about 17 and was tall, standing about six foot. He was well built with light brown hair that fell in front of dark green eyes that rivaled Amara's. He wore a simple black T-shirt with baggy jeans that were frayed, faded and torn in one of the knees. "My knife," He stated bluntly.

Arama studied him for a moment. _Hm… He seems familiar, but it can't be him, he's dead. Maybe it's the eyes, they're a lot like Amara's. _With a shrug she handed the blade back to him. She turned to Ryld. "How long is your boss going to wait?"

"As long as it takes," Came the reply.

"I guess I can stand working with you for a little while longer." Arama held out her bloodied hand to him.

Ryld glanced down at her out-reached hand before grinning. He clasped her cut hand with his own, their blood mingling. "Blood contract?"

"What else?" Arama asked as let go and walked by him, stepping into the vehicle.

Ryld turned to the green-eyed boy. "What do you think?"

"She reminds me of someone but I can't remember." He narrowed his green eyes in frustrated thought.

"Really?" Ryld asked with an arched eyebrow, hiding his amused expression as he shut the car door and walked to the front of the limo with the teenager following him. "Don't dwell on it. They found you eight years ago with no memory except that of your first name. You've already started over, don't ruin it now just because you're dwelling on the forgotten past."

He nodded his head in agreement as he opened the driver's side door while Ryld walked over to the passenger side.

"Let's get going, Syneon." Ryld suggested as he stepped into the limo.

"It's Syn," He remarked before following Ryld's lead.

* * *

Amara sighed and she paced about. Her anger had long passed and now she was beyond frustration, all she was left with was hopelessness. Her small glimmer of hope was nowhere in sight since the small flicker of Tiamat's presence disappeared.

She has no idea how much time had past since Arama had closed her off from the outside world.

"If Michelle were here, she would've figured out something by now." She stated despondently and sat down. "Tiamat, I wish you were here as well, at least things would be a little more interesting." A small chuckle escaped her. "At least I know you're still alive, in one way or another.

"Will Kai hate me even more because of Arama and what she will do? I wanted to forget everything, and for a while, I did. I was able to suppress my memories, locking Arama deep within myself. But trying to obtain _Perfect Unity _she grew stronger. I was able to see things that would happen with the combined powers of her and Tiamat. I couldn't remember whom she was when we met in the fire but after Kai brought me back to life and with Tiamat gone, I remembered everything, everything that she had done and why I had locked her away in the first place. I won't make the same mistake twice. I just wish I could figure out how to gain control again."

Amara drew her knees up rested her chin upon them and closed her eyes, her shoulders slumping as she relaxed. She drifted off into a much-needed sleep.

"Kai… I…"

* * *

Arama glowered at the stranger that sat across from her and Damian. His face was shadowed but Arama could tell that he held himself with an air of prowess. The car started moving before the man said something.

"You must be Amara."

"It's Arama," She snapped.

The man chuckled. "Forgive me, Arama."

"Now, who are you?" Arama questioned.

He leaned forward, moving into the faint light. He had a prominent chin with hair that was gray lavender. Strange goggles with red lenses rested upon his nose. "I am Boris. It is a pleasure to meet you." He held out his hand to shake.

Arama glanced at him and smirked. She licked the blood from her hand and wiped it on her cloak before she grasped his hand. "Likewise. Now about that blade…"

"All in due time, Arama, all in due time." He released her hand.

"Well, maybe you can answer some questions then." Arama leaned back in her seat. "Like why you're not in jail."

"Powerful allies." Boris replied simply.

"And Voltaire?"

"Who do you think sent me?"

"I see."

"Now, I have some questions for you." Boris returned.

"Fire away," Arama stated nonchalantly.

"How is it that you came into being?"

Arama's smirk went wicked. "Now doesn't everyone want to know that? I have always been, and always will be as long as Amara is. I am her anger and her wickedness. She lost control of me when we were seven. The things I did," her ambers eyes glinted demonically, "those that I killed, were the ones she held closest."

* * *

Kai sat awake in one of the bedrooms at Tyson's place. He knew that he should get some sleep but his mind was restless. He fell back into his bed, placing his arm over his eyes.

_What the hell am I suppose to do? How do I release Tiamat? And what exactly was Haru asking for? _

Kai pulled off the covers and stepped out of bed. Clad in sweats and a tank, he stepped quietly into the hall and headed outside. He walked out into the front yard and gazed at the closed gate. He noted the break in the wood where his blade had connected when Amara first came and the ring of scalded grass where they had battled. "Damn."

"Kai? What's wrong?"

Kai turned around to see Max standing in the doorway. "Nothing." He replied callously.

Max grinned. "I don't believe that. You know, you don't have to be so cold all the time. I know it's been a hard life for you, but we're here for you."

Kai walked brushed by him without a word and entered the house. "Get some sleep, Max, you're going to need it for tomorrow."

Max watched Kai disappear into the house before running a hand through his blond locks. "I guess whatever is wrong isn't bothering him too much if he already has training planned for us," He paused, "Wait… or else it means that it's really bothering him and he's just letting out his frustration on us." Max sighed and let out a yawn before padding back to his bed.

* * *

Hillary leaned back from the door of the kitchen. She didn't mean to listen in on the short conversation between Kai and Max but it couldn't have been helped. She was retrieving a glass of water when she heard their voices.

"What is going on with everyone?" She asked aloud.

With a sigh she filled up her glass. Downing it in two swings, she placed the glass in the sink and headed off to bed. She wrapped herself up tightly in her blanket, alone with her thoughts.

_I wonder if Ari could give me some advice, and some help for that matter. Man, it's only been one year since I decided to help out Tyson and the rest of the BladeBreakers but it seems longer, I guess a lot has happened._ A small blush found its way to Hillary's cheeks. _And I guess a lot has changed._

* * *

Michelle was up a few hours before the sun was. She tried everything she could think of but she still couldn't get to sleep. Glancing at the clock the read 2:00am she pulled up the hood of her cloak and slipped silently outside. Her blade was clutched tightly in her hand as she headed off the most isolated place she could think of; the closest forested park.

_Michelle? Are you all right? _Bahamut asked.

Michelle didn't answer.

_Michelle? _Bahamut repeated, growing concern.

_Sorry, Bahamut I'm just restless. _Michelle answered.

_It's okay, happens to all of us. So, what exactly do you have in mind? _

_What do you mean?_

_I mean you're restless, what are you going to remedy it?_

Michelle smirked,_ Are you up for a little training?_

_Any time, Michelle, any time. _Bahamut replied.

* * *

The sun rose a few hours later, shining light through the branches of the trees. Michelle had long since discarded her cloak, crumpled in a heap between the roots of one of the trees. Her long sleeve shirt had been the next to go.

Drenched in sweat, clothed only in her tank and shorts, Michelle stood, poised to launch her blade. With the sudden twitch of her arm muscles she launched her blade into action sending it spinning into a tree ten feet away and through it, leaving a clean hole through the center.

When her blade landed it wobbled slightly before straightening, its spin remaining constant.

"_Unity!_" Michelle shouted. Her armor materialized and her wings extended to their full length while her blade increased its speed. "Bahamut!"

Bahamut emerged from the blade with a deafening roar but only to find that he was losing power and the beyblade came to a stop.

Michelle let out a sigh a collapsed to the ground. "What are we doing wrong?"

Bahamut lowered his head to her and rested it upon her shoulder. "We aren't doing anything wrong, we're just not doing anything right."

Michelle patted his head and ran her fingers along the scales of his neck. "You make no sense."

Bahamut let out a small growl of contentment. "You have grow strong within these last hours, but no matter how hard we try we can't reach _Perfect Unity_."

"We'll find a way, hell, Amara did." Michelle remarked. Bahamut pulled his head away and shook it lightly. Michelle raised an eyebrow. "What is it, Bahamut?"

"You have grown stronger, Michelle, yet I remain unchanged." Bahamut stated solemnly. "I am holding us down, I am the reason why we can't reach _Perfect Unity_."

"Don't say that!" Michelle grabbed his maw with her gloved hands and pulled his face to hers, their icy eyes locked. "Don't say that. There must be something else, something that we missed. We'll figure this out and become stronger yet. We can't give up." Bahamut nodded. "Good, now that that's settle, let's get back to work. I want to show both the Wingz Corp and the BladeBreakers that we have a few tricks left."

* * *

A/N: "Well, another chapter done and once again it's rather a boring one, but I did introduce another original character." chuckles "Who is this Syneon? I'm not telling! You'll just have to wait and see. Finally, Boris shows his ugly mug... I promise that the next chapter will have more excitement, because it's time for the Finals of the tournament! Please, I love feedback, so drop me a line or a review. See you in the next chapter!" 


	16. Chapter 15

Tyson groaned. At the moment he really hated Kai. Having been awakened at the crack of dawn, dragged out of bed (without breakfast, one might add) and made to run four miles, he hated Kai with a passion.

"Come on, Tyson!" Max encouraged a little ways ahead, "You can make it!"

"Food…" Tyson moaned as he continued his slow-paced run.

"You won't get any food if you keep this pace." Kai remarked coming up from behind. His strides were long and unrelenting as he moved to pass Tyson. He was already on his eighth mile.

"You're a cruel man," Tyson complained.

"Rei has already finished and is waiting for you two, so I suggest you pick up the pace." Kai stated, not even bothering to look over his shoulder to regard Tyson as the gap between them widened. Having already passed Max, who just happened to seem to be doing fine except for his slow pace, Kai pushed himself harder, _Max has a lot of endurance so either he's just slow or wants to stick by his friend. _Kai scoffed at the word. He never really had much use for "friends" but after spending so much time with the group the concept seemed to rub off on him.

With a quiet sigh, Kai turned down a different corner instead of continuing the four-mile loop he had mapped out. _By the time I'm done with these extra miles Tyson will probably be just finishing. _He managed to keep the small smile from appearing on his face at the thought of the eccentric blader. Sure, he was annoying as hell, and his antics and prideful boasting just grated on one's nerves, but there was something about him that drew everyone towards him, like gravity.

_Even the Wingz Corp got drawn in. How is it that Tyson can bring together all these people?_

_He's just a charismatic person. _Came an unexpected reply.

Kai came to a stop, startled by the voice. He knew that no one had spoken aloud to him, so who was it that was speaking to him now?

_Now don't be so ecstatic. _

_Who are you? _Kai demanded.

_Oh, just your everyday dragon of Death who decided to take up temporary residence inside your soul while his dwelling place goes through some remodeling._

_Tiamat. _Kai stated.

_The one and only and as Amara normally puts it, "Thank God."_ Tiamat remarked dismissively.

_How is it that you can speak to me? _Kai questioned. _I thought you were in a state of unresponsiveness?_

_I was able to merge with your _Unity _link with Dranzer but only temporarily. _Tiamat replied. _As for being asleep, I woke up; it's as simple as that._

I can communicate with Dranzer like this? 

_Not quite yet. The reason I can talk to you right now is because I've been doing this for a while. It might take awhile before you and Dranzer can talk but it shouldn't be too difficult. _

Kai contemplated Tiamat's words and started to walk again, adjusting to the mental conversation. _There is no doubt that there is something you wish to discuss with me. Since I highly doubt that you are the type for idle chitchat._

Kai could practically imagine the shrug in Tiamat's answer. _You never know. But yes there is something I want to discuss._

_And what would that be?_

_Me getting out of here and joining with Amara again. You're a good kid, but I must say Amara is far more interesting and my chosen partner. _Tiamat said.

_I am not a kid, dragon. _Kai remarked coldly.

_That's interesting, that's exactly what Amara first said when we were first able to communicate. _Tiamat chuckled. _But enough of that, the thing is, I have a feeling that getting me back to Amara is going to be harder than it seems. _

_How so?_

_A part of her doesn't want me back._

_Her berserker half? _Kai pressed.

_Yes, and if you thought Amara was bad enough as herself, berserker half is much worse. The thing is, she probably has her sights set on destroying you and Michelle and if you want to defeat her in battle you will need to learn how to maintain _Unity _with Dranzer. Arama is powerful even without the help of a bit beast or _Unity.

Kai listened to Tiamat as he headed back to Tyson's house. _So Amara's berserker half is called Arama? _He felt Tiamat send a wave of emotion that clearly stated an affirmative. _How does _Unity _work?_

_I can teach you._

* * *

Kai stepped into Tyson's home and headed over to the sounds of the others. He walked into the dining room to find them eating breakfast.

"Kai! Where've you been, man?" Tyson asked through a stuffed mouth.

"We were going to wait for you before eating, but Tyson insisted." Max explained gesturing helplessly to the reigning World Champion. Kai took the open sit at the end of the table next to Rei.

"I don't understand why me and Max had to run this morning as well," Tyson complained after swallowing.

Hillary saved Kai from the job of rebuking him. "Tyson! You're the World Champion! No matter what you're assured a spot in the World Championship finals, no matter how good or bad you do on the way there! You have to stay in tiptop shape!"

"Hillary is right, Tyson." Kenny remarked, typing away on his laptop. "Just think if you have to face Michelle or Amara."

"And those two are some tough opponents," Dizzi piped up.

"Tyson," Rei's voice broke through. "You might even have to go up against Kai or myself. I myself would want to fight you at a hundred percent."

Tyson grinned. "Don't worry, Rei, no matter who my opponent is, I won't fight at a hundred percent, I'll fight at two hundred!"

"That's what I want to hear!" Rei grinned.

"Let's show them what we're made of!" Max cheered.

After hearing all the commotion Grandpa decided to join the celebration. While the others were distracted in their antics, Kai pulled Rei over. "Tomorrow, I will face Amara."

Rei nodded in understanding. "Then I have no choice but to take Michelle. But do you think Amara will be a challenge without Tiamat?"

"She will be." Kai clenched his hand into a fist. "I know she will."

"I wonder what kind of dish the BBA has in store for us." Rei commented.

"Whatever it is, we'll have to be prepare."

Rei nodded in agreement. "No doubt about it."

* * *

The rest of the day went by without any incident. After breakfast Kai and Rei went outside to train and to come up with some sort of strategy for their upcoming match. Of course, the rest of the BladeBreaker team joined. Kenny and Dizzi were able to compile enough data on Amara and Michelle to simulate a battle. The simulation was in one word, a disaster.

"This doesn't make sense!" Kenny exclaimed pulling at his hair. "Argh! Every time I enter their data against Kai and Rei's data it shows that they will win 98.76 of the time."

"There has to be something wrong, Chief." Dizzi commented.

"Hey, remember that Amara doesn't have a bit beast anymore!" Tyson put in.

"Tyson! How can you be so insensitive?" Hillary asked with a sigh. "What if it was Dragoon that was gone?" Tyson opened his mouth to retort but thought better of it.

"Kenny," Rei placed a hand on his shoulder, "could you pull up the data on Michelle from her first match?"

"Yeah, sure. Hang on a second." After a moment of clicking away Kenny pulled up some video footage. "Here you go," he said and clicked 'PLAY'.

The recording showed Michelle battling her first opponent, Anthony. After the escapade with Amara the referee started the match. Michelle released her blade and called forth _Unity_. Rei watched as she easily took out Anthony and was declared the winner.

By that time everyone was crowded around the laptop. Kenny allowed the video to run, continuing with Amara's match. Right as the two released their blades the screen went black.

"And that's where Amara pulled off that neat trick," Dizzi commented.

Kenny stopped the recording. "Anything else?"

"Were you able to save any of the data from Amara's battle with Damian?" Kai asked.

"It's incomplete and in poor quality." Kenny answered. "But I'll see what I can salvage of it."

"Kai?" Max inquired of their captain.

Kai didn't reply as he waited for Kenny and Dizzi to finish up.

"There's not much, but here's what we were able to get."

"Show it," Kai ordered.

The screen flickered and went in and out of focus, but one could understand what was going on. On the bottom part of the screen showed the energy readouts.

Damian went into _Unity _and the bar spiked. Amara used _Perfect Unity _and her energy matched Damian's. The screen blinked out for a moment before returning.

"_Fury Corruption!" _Amara's voice rang out through the computer's speakers. The strangest thing happened though. The power data on Amara split. Both halves rose, but one shot way above the other and it continued to rise before the system closed itself.

"Never saw that before…" Kenny mumbled. "What could it mean?"

Kai crossed his arms over his chest in thought. He didn't care what the split energies meant; in fact he was quite sure he already had a good idea. And it spelt trouble for sure.

"Kai?" Rei glanced up at him as he started to walk off. "Where are you going?" The others looked up at him as well. "You know what the split energies mean don't you?"

Kai stopped but didn't look back. "I might know…" He answered. "I'm going to train, you can come if you want Rei." With that said he headed off.

Rei threw a glance over his shoulder and shrugged before running after Kai.

"What was that about?" Dizzi asked.

"Maybe Kai has some sort of tactic or something," Max supplied.

"But than why doesn't he want our help?" Hillary asked.

"Kai will be Kai," Tyson supplied. "He has something up his sleeve. Don't worry, they'll be ready for tomorrow."

"I hope so," Kenny remarked. He looked at the replay of the battle between Amara and Damian; the split energies still bothered him. "I hope so…"

* * *

Friday- Tournament Finals

Michelle paced in the locker room, her cloak swaying with her. "Where are you?" She asked every time she walked past the door.

_Michelle, she will come. _Bahamut tried convincing her but ruined any confidence he might have giving her when he added, _I think._

"Welcome one and all to the tournament finals!" Brad could be heard over the speakers. "Today is the day you've waiting for."

"That's right, Brad." A.J. replied. "Who emerge the victor today? The BladeBreakers or the Wingz Corp?"

"Technically both of these competitors will continue in the road to the Championship, but which team will get the recognition for being regional Champion?"

"Amara, where are you?" Michelle asked no one.

"Now let's get blading!" A.J. exclaimed.

Michelle let out a sigh. "Great." She pulled the cowl of her cloak lower over her face and headed out. "This is just wonderful."

* * *

"Here we have Rei and Kai of the BladeBreakers!" The referee said as a cheer went up among the crowd. "And here are Michelle and Amara!"

Michelle stepped out into the arena and glanced around.

"It seems that Wingz Corp is missing a blader," A.J. commented.

"Can't tell which one though." Brad added.

Michelle walked up to the covered dish and pulled back her hood as the ref walked over to her and asked. "Where's your partner Amara?" Michelle just answered with a shrug and she glanced across the to dish to look at her adversaries.

"Rules are that she has ten minutes or else the Wingz Corp will have to forfeit." Brad explained.

The ref motioned Kai and Rei to come over and he explained the situation.

"When was the last time you saw her?" Rei asked.

Michelle shrugged. "I wasn't the last person to see her," She answered looking pointedly at Kai. "I believe that you and Haru were the last ones."

Kai was slightly surprised at the news but he was even more surprised to see a cloak figured enter the arena.

"Looks like we got a person entering the stadium, whether if it is Amara, we'll find out soon." A.J. stated.

Walking up to the referee the person pulled back their hood, revealing the red bronze hair and…

_Amber eyes? _Kai thought.

_Arama. _Tiamat answered.

Arama's eyes narrowed as she glared at Kai before turning to regard Michelle. "Sorry I'm late, there was something I had to do."

Michelle noted the change in eye color but didn't say anything about it. "Well, you're here now and that's all that matters at the moment."

"Seeing that Amara returned before the time ran out let's get this match on!" Exclaimed the ref. "Teams, return to your sides!"

Kai and Rei headed back to their side of the dish while Michelle and Amara conversed. "Amara, when this is over I will find out what you've been up to."

Arama smirked. "You can try, Michelle, you can try."

_Michelle, be wary. _Bahamut warned.

_I know._

"I'll take the first match. You just have to make sure you win yours," Arama remarked.

"Why? You make it sound like you're going to lose," Michelle commented. Arama just gave her a wicked grin. "You _are_ planning to lose, aren't you?"

"I want to face Kai in the tie-breaker. End this tournament with a bang."

Michelle exhaled deeply and made no other remark.

"Bladers to the launch pad!" Announced the ref.

Arama walked up with a smirk in place when she saw that Kai was going to be her opponent. "Sorry, but this round won't be much fun." She said.

"You don't belong here." Kai stated.

"So you know then?" She bowed mockingly. "I have every right to be here."

"Looks like there's some feud between Amara and Kai." A.J. reported.

"All the better for blading, A.J." Brad replied.

"Well, it looks like the dish is ready to be revealed. Let's see what the BBA came up with."

The mechanical covering retracted revealing the dish. It was huge, with a circumference of about 20 feet. The launch pads stuck out over the dish that was 10 feet deep. The inside of the beyblading dish was covered in miniature mountains, swamps, forests, deserts, and other geographical landforms. The plains area was positioned in the middle of the dish; the mountains were beneath Kai and an ocean beneath Arama. The mini ocean and its shores that were placed under Arama spread out in a forest on her right that shifted into a swampy area before colliding with the mountains. Once the shores of the ocean ended on her left, it shifted into a desert that was next to the mountains.

"This dish is called Omnēs Terras, that's Latin for you Brad." A.J. explained.

"I know that. It means "All Lands" and basically that's what the dish is. We would like to thank the BBA workers a who spent all of yesterday to give us this wonderful dish to tear up." Brad stated.

"Your hard work will not go to waste." A.J. joked.

Arama and Kai stepped out on to the launching pads, opposite of each other and readied their blades.

* * *

_Amara. _Arama said as she opened the link between herself and Amara. _I will show you the fall of the ones you love._

Amara didn't reply, as she was able to see everything through Arama's point of view. She took a sharp in take of breath when she saw Kai.

_I will kill him. _Arama's voice echoed around her. _And I will be the only one to witness you as you break No one can help you._

"Kai, please win…" Amara whispered.

* * *

"Bladers, ready? 3! 2! 1! Let it rip!"

Kai snapped back his arm and released his blade in the extensive dish. His blade landed in the plains areaat the center of the dish.

Arama launched her ebony blade that glinted wickedly in light. She purposefully overshot Dranzer and sent her beyblade careening into the mountain area that was position under Kai's launch platform. It sent up dust and debris that engulfed Kai. Her blade ricocheted back, colliding with Kai's blade once before settling in place, waiting for the attack.

The dust finally started to clear and Kai moved his arm away from his face to see the damage.

"Wow!" A.J. exclaimed. "The match has barely started and we already got some major damage."

"I believe they said those mountains were one of the harder things to get perfect and they just happen to be the first to go." Brad remarked.

The mountains were indeed gone; the only things that proved they were there were piles of rubble. There was a deep crevice that marked the route of Arama's blade on it collision course.

"I'm not going to take you out now Kai, I want to destroy you in the tie-breaker round, the last battle of this tournament." Arama said.

"Why not just end this right now?" He asked.

"I just want to have a little fun!" Arama ordered her blade to attack Dranzer driving back into the forest.

"Dranzer!" Kai's blade shot back for the counterattack. The attack was seemingly dead on until Arama's blade disappeared only to reappear, slamming into Dranzer.

Kai's crimson eyes narrowed as he glanced up at Arama who just put on a condescending smirk. He had Dranzer retaliate already expecting the black blade to evade, however, to his surprise he connected and sent the blade back to Arama's waiting hand.

"Kai's the winner!"

There was a collective silence before the crowd erupted into cheers. They were surprised at the abrupt ending of the battle but they were nevertheless satisfied.

* * *

A/N: "Whew! Another chapter complete! And right before Christmas too! Next chapter is basically complete, just have to add a few touches but expect it in the coming week, two weeks at most because something might come up. Speaking of next chapter, it's Michelle's turn to take on Rei! Will she claim victory? Or will Rei manage to defeat her? It's getting close people, the regional finals are almost at an end and then it's on to the "Road to the World Championship"! As always, I enjoy reviews and that just happens to be on my Christmas list. Heh. Please feel free to correct any mistakes I might have made. See you in the next chapter! Merry Christmas!

Death


	17. Chapter 16

"Did Amara just throw away the match?" Tyson asked, bewildered.

"I think she did." Max replied.

"Why would she do something like that?" Hillary inquired.

"Who knows?" Dizzi remarked. "But one thing is for sure, she was packing the same power as one of the halves of the split energies."

"What is going on?" Kenny asked. "Nothing makes sense, the data is all screwed up, and-"

"Seems like the BladeBreakers are having a little trouble," Remarked an unfamiliar voice. The group turned around to see two teenage boys sit behind them. One had black hair with rusty eyes that belied any kindness, he wore jeans and long black trench that was unbuttoned and showed his dark red shirt that he wore underneath. The second was taller and looked older. He wore a black bandana that kept his brown bangs out of his dark and empty green eyes. His clothes consisted of a muscle shirt and baggy jeans.

"Who are you?" Hillary demanded.

The younger puts on a disarming smile before replying, "The name's Ryld and this is my companion Syneon, but just call him Syn." He gestured to the other who had made no move to introduce himself.

Tyson studied the two, a red flag going up in the back of his mind. _There's something about those two that is putting me on the edge. I don't trust them._

"What did you guys think of the match?" Max inquired. He, too, felt uneasy around them.

"Predictable." Ryld answered smoothly.

"How so?" Tyson asked with narrowed eyes.

Syn was the one to answer. "There is tension between Kai and Arama, no doubt they want to settle their differences during the last match."

"You got her name mixed up," Hillary commented. "It's Amara not Arama,"

Syn looked at her with an eyebrow raised and Hillary recoiled slightly under his gaze. He didn't say anything else and turned back to the center of the arena waiting for the next match to start.

* * *

"Why don't you just finish him off, Arama?" Amara shouted. "Answer me! Why don't you?" Amara whipped around searching in the endless void of gray. "You've taken enough from me, what's one more? I don't care anymore!" 

Arama chuckled. _Poor Amara, she lost everything she ever held dear. She lost so much that she has given up. Disappear, Amara! There is nothing for you. Give up, give me complete control and I can put you to rest, the rest you deserve, the rest from all of the pain and suffering. Just let go. _Arama coaxed.

"I-I can't…"

_Yes you can. It's simple, just let go._

Amara fell to her knees, her hands clenched tightly. "Just let go?"

* * *

Arama walked passed Michelle with a smirk upon her lips. Amara was almost hers and Kai would be destroyed once they battle again. "Don't screw up, Michelle." 

Michelle glared. "I won't Amara. I have something to prove and someone to recover. I will defeat Rei."

_I am right along side you, Michelle, all the way._

_I know you are Bahamut._

_This is the time where you cannot let your emotions hinder you. _Bahamut commented. _Despite how you feel._

Michelle nodded and walked up to the dish waiting for her opponent to approach. Her face was void of any expression; the only thing that showed any emotion was the icy glare her eyes were positioned in.

* * *

Amara looked up when she heard Michelle say her name. She watched through Arama's eyes and heard everything Michelle had said. "N-no, I can't let go, not yet." 

_Why bother hanging on when you have nothing. _Arama watched Michelle approach the dish. _She will eventually leave you._

"I know, we all leave at some point. But I want to spend all the time I can with her. She is my family along with the other Wingz; I'm not going to give up! Not now!"

_Stubborn bitch. You don't know when to quit, do you? You've already lost. You no longer have Tiamat to help you; Michelle and Kai can do nothing to reach you. You are lost._

"I'm not lost, not yet." Amara stated with conviction. "The only way I can become lost is when I lose all hope."

_We shall find out the truth soon enough._

* * *

Rei and Kai exchanged a small glance before Rei stepped up to the platform. He was somewhat taken aback by the glare Michelle had place on him, but he shook it off. _She means business. That's what she is here for and so am I._

Kai watched the two of them; he didn't like the idea of pitting Rei against Michelle, but it had to be done. He looked passed the combatants to see Arama watching the two as well. Her arms were out from the folds of her cloak and crossed over her chest. She had a small scowl upon her features as she waited for the battle to start.

Michelle and Rei made eye contact from across the dish and shared a small nod.

"Bladers ready?" The referee asked looking from one to the other. The answers he received were the readying of their blades. "3! 2! 1! Let it rip!"

The real battle had begun.

* * *

Michelle released her blade as soon as the count down was completed. It landed effortlessly in the desert region, its spin throwing up dust and sand. 

Rei sent Drigger weaving through the forest, camouflaged in the foliage of the trees. He knew that he had to come up with a plan to defeat Michelle. He knew that with her _Unity_, he was in trouble.

"Rei, are you just going to stay away? Hiding in the forest? Or are you going to initiate the attack?" Michelle asked coldly.

"Ladies first, Michelle." Rei shot back, his cat-like eyes narrowing. As much as he hated to act like this, he had a feeling that Michelle disliked it as well. The only reason they had for their actions was that they were rivals and all emotions were left out of the dish.

"You asked for it. Bahamut, attack!" Her dark blue and gray blade tore across the desert and the plain, leaving a deep rut in its path, and headed straight into the forest. "Is the cat hiding from the mouse?" She asked with mocking innocence. "Well, I guess I just have to lure you out of hiding."

Rei gritted his teeth at Michelle's proclamation.

"Bahamut!" Her blade accelerated and its spin sent out shockwaves of energy. Within a matter of seconds, the forest- like the mountains before it- was no more but a barren wasteland. There was no trace that a forest even existed as Rei's blade was now exposed. Michelle took advantage of a stunned Rei, encouraging her blade to drive into Drigger.

Drigger was able to escape the onslaught but not without damage. Both its attack and defense rings were worn down and dulled.

"It seems like Michelle and Amara really thought the dish could used more landscaping." Brad remarked.

"No kidding. Soon all we'll have left is a wasteland." A.J. replied.

"Rei, this is no fun," Michelle commented. "Put up more of a fight."

Rei did not answer. His eyes traveled across the rapidly growing badlands, scanning for something to his advantage. He ordered Drigger to keep evading for the time being, his speed keeping him from Bahamut's powerful blows.

"Are you going to fight or not?" Michelle practically growled and received no reply. "All right then, I'll finish you off! _Unity_!"

_There! _Rei thought. "Drigger! Tiger Claw!" With his superior swiftness, Drigger ground into Bahamut, interrupting before _Unity _could be reached.

Michelle staggered back a hand going to her chest beneath her cloak as the wind was knocked out of her. Pulling her hand back she noticed it was stained crimson, but she hid it from Rei. "Nice move." She gasped out.

_Bahamut? You okay?_

_I've been better…_ He remarked. _That was the first time anyone was able to stop _Unity_. Let's not let it happen again._

_Agreed. _Michelle grimaced.

"Don't let up!" Rei yelled as his blade kept on attacking, not giving Michelle any time to retaliate.

Michelle took a step back, trying to regain her balance. _We need to get in _Unity _or else we will lose. Bur he's just too fast… Wait…_

_If you're planning something, make it quick, there's only so much I can take of this. _Bahamut remarked.

_How well do you think you can handle in the swamp?_

_Well enough, but the terrain isn't going to give us too much of an advantage._

_You have wings, don't you? _Michelle countered. Before Bahamut could make any retort, she was already putting her plan into action. "Let's do this!" Bahamut emerged from the blade with a deafening roar. With a beat of his great wings, he sailed over Drigger, the blade beneath him skipping over the swamp, every once in a while touching down and sending up muck.

"Drigger!" The tiger leapt out from the blade and pursued, stumbled through the thick waters, as its blade began to drag through the sludge.

Seeing that this was probably her only chance to complete _Unity_, Michelle called out, "Bahamut, _Unity_!" Michelle's cloak was replaced by her armor and wings and she store down Rei as their bit beasts with their respective blades stood at a standoff.

_Michelle? Are you all right? _Bahamut asked concerned, taking note of the weakness that he felt through their link and her shaky breaths.

_I'm fine. _She managed without wincing. _I just want to finish this._

_Same here, same here._

* * *

_Why are they fighting so desperately? _Hillary asked herself. _What do they have to lose? _She let out the breath she had been holding. She couldn't understand why this was so important to them, why it was more than just a game. 

It has been a year since she decided to help the BladeBreakers, whether they liked it or not. She had seen many things, things that were sometimes beyond comprehension. She understood that all of them fought with something more than the love of the game, they fought like their life depended on it.

What Hillary failed to realize was that a lot of the times, their skill in beybattles, was the thing that saved their lives.

She also failed to realize that, to them, beyblading was life and the only way they knew how to complete their lives.

* * *

Next to the contemplative Hillary, Kenny, Max, and Tyson cheered on their teammate, each to his own way. 

Kenny was gripping at his brown hair in worry. "C'mon Rei! You can't lose! Show me that my data was wrong for once!" He shouted.

"Chief, calm down!" Dizzi pleaded.

Max was yelling with his hands cupped around his mouth. "Go Rei! You can beat her, I know you can!"

Tyson was jumping up and down in his seat like a little kid. "Yeah Rei! Defeat her! Show her that she's no match for a BladeBreaker." He stopped his cheering when a chuckle sounded from behind.

"You're really pulling for your friend, aren't you?" Ryld asked, a smirk on his face.

"Yeah, so what?" Tyson remarked. His biting tone even managed to snap Hillary out of her thoughts.

Max put a hand on Tyson's arm, holding him back from doing anything stupid, like attacking Ryld.

Ryld held up his hands in a placating gesture, his smirk still upon his lips. "I meant no offense. I was just stating a fact."

"Ry, enough."

Ryld tensed at Syn's words and turned a glare on him. "Don't call me that, Syneon." He retorted putting emphasis on his partner's full name.

Syn met with Ryld's glare with narrowed eyes. "Then stop trying to pick a fight."

"I wasn't picking a fight."

"That was your motive underlying your question."

"How can you tell what my motives are?" Ryld countered offensively.

"I can tell." Syn said with finality and turned back to watch the rest of the match.

Tyson huffed and slumped back into his chair, muttering obscenities under his breath. Syn wasn't that bad he realized, but it was Ryld that for some reason he couldn't stand.

Max observed Tyson for a moment. Tyson got along well with everyone, that is until you mock him or his friends, or you either do something to him or his friends. The only thing Ryld had done so far was introduce himself and asked a seemingly innocent question. Well, so Max thought until Syn stated that Ryld was picking a fight._ How could Syn know what Ryld was really up to? Who are these guys anyway? _Max thought.

* * *

Drigger backed out of the swamp, growling with every retreating step. Watching the dragon hover above the marsh, he waited for his master's next order. 

Rei knew he was in deep trouble now with Michelle in _Unity. _He was relieved for a while when he found out that he could interrupt the technique and in so doing gained the upper hand. However, he hadn't counted on Michelle using the terrain to her advantage in such a way. Using the landscape to take away Drigger's speed, therefore giving her time to use _Unity_. Her tactical move had tipped the scales once again in her favor.

Still, from across the dish, Michelle looked a little worse for wear. Beads of sweat glistened on her forehead as her red hair clung to her face. Rei couldn't help but feel a pang of concern for her.

Bahamut eyed the tiger waiting for Michelle to lay out their next move. _Michelle?_

_What? _Michelle snapped back.

_Are you okay? _Bahamut asked concerned. _Your link is faltering._

_I'm fine. _Michelle did well to find the fact that she was bleeding from him. Hiding the physically signs and blocking it out from her mind. "Bahamut, attack!"

Unable to disobey a direct order, Bahamut drove forward, slamming head on into Drigger. The two blades fought for dominance across the wasteland, neither giving in.

"Drigger! Tiger Claw!"

"Bahamut!"

The tiger lashed out with its claws as the dragon tried to trap the other in its jaws. Drigger raked the side of Bahamut's maw, tearing through the tough scales.

Four lines appeared across Michelle's cheek and immediately began to bleed. Her eyes seemed to grow colder as she didn't bother to wipe the blood away.

The two beybaldes continued to grind against each other, sparks flew about the two as dirt and dust was whipped about.

"They seem to be at a stalemate!" A.J. exclaimed.

"Not one of these two are willing to give up." Brad added.

Rei shifted his foot back, gritting his teeth. He could feel that Drigger was giving it his all, but still Bahamut held his ground as well. Rei turned his eyes away from the battle to look up at Michelle. Her armor was fading in and out of existence, shifting back to her cloak before returning.

* * *

Amara watched the battle with growing concern for Michelle. A few more minutes of battle and she will be stripped of out _Unity_. 

_Why does she wish to win so badly?_ Arama asked with feigned interest. _The more she pushes the more she puts herself in danger. Why is that, Amara? Why does she feel the need to keep fighting?_

"You don't deserve an answer." Amara stated coldly.

_And why not? I am truly interested in her foolishness._

"It isn't foolishness, dear Arama." She spat. "It's something you can never understand and never will be able to understand."

Arama just chuckled and allowed Amara to watch the rest of the match.

"Michelle, I hope you know what you are doing. In fact it would be better if you lose and allow Kai and Rei to win, instead of giving Arama the chance to fight again."

* * *

_Bahamut, we are not going to lose._

_We are weakening, Michelle. There's not much time before Rei and Drigger gain the upper hand._

Michelle dropped to one knee, a hand going to her chest. _We are not going to lose. _She reiterated.

_Michelle, _Unity _is starting to fail. _Bahamut remarked.

Michelle's breath hitched in pain. "We… are not…" She glared up at Rei and slowly started to get back up on her feet. "We are… not…"

* * *

"Michelle…" Rei whispered in worry ignoring the glare she gave him. He noted that Bahamut was beginning to falter slightly and Drigger started to bear down on him. "Drigger…" 

Understanding Rei's unspoken plea; his blade retreated from the onslaught on Michelle's blade.

"Don't Rei!" Michelle shouted across to him. "I don't want or need your pity! So just stop! Fight me with everything you have! Don't give me any of this mercy crap!"

"Michelle! Anymore of this battle and you'll get injured worse than you already are!" Rei countered.

"Save it Rei!" Michelle countered, her armor still flickering in and out of existence. "I know the consequences of every one of my actions and I accept them. This pain is nothing to the pain that I would feel if I didn't give it my all." Her hand clutched at her chest as a grimaced crossed her features. "So fight me! Hold nothing back!"

"Michelle… I can't."

"Then you are weak." Michelle stated coldly.

_Is it weakness that I don't want to fight or is it honorable? _Rei asked himself. _She's injured but still she risks her life just to win. _Rei thought back and he realized that there were a few times when he fought with this much vigor. A small smile graced his lips and he inclined his head. _She has made her decision; she has put everything into this battle and so will I. _"Michelle, you better be ready because I'm not holding back."

"That's what I want to hear."

"This battle just heated up again!" Brad remarked.

"Drigger!" His blade rushed forward, slamming into Bahamut.

Michelle took a step back and swiped the back of her across her mouth, wiping away the blood. She mentally ordered Bahamut to retaliate, to which he compiled.

The blades met once again in a fight for dominance. And once again Drigger was gaining the upper hand.

"We are not going to lose!" Michelle shouted.

A flash blinded everyone in the stadium. Once the spots from everyone's eyes cleared they saw something unexpected.

Instead of the blue and black dragon that is known as Bahamut, there was a red and gold in its stead. The scales were ruby but its plated chest was outlined in gold along with the spikes that trailed down its spine.

Another change was Michelle; her armor was replaced to match the scales of the 'new' Bahamut but basically stayed the same. "Bahamut!" She yelled.

Bahamut pushed back, driving Drigger back on his heels. "Finish it!" Came Michelle's call and Bahamut did exactly that. Fading back for a split second, throwing Drigger off balance, Bahamut came back sending Rei's blade back into the swamp where it staggered in the muck before falling.

"Michelle is the winner!" Called the ref.

Michelle caught her blade as it returned to her hand. She gave Rei a small smile and a nod as her red and gold armor faded. She let out a gasp and fell to her knees, clutching her chest.

Rei rushed over and placed a hand on her shoulder. "Are you okay?"

"I might've over did it a bit." Michelle winced before falling forward.

Rei caught her before she hit the ground that's when he noticed the blood. "Michelle you idiot!" He reprimanded and pulled off her cloak. Her plain blue shirt was darkening with her blood. "Get some help!" He called to the official.

"I told you that I all ready accepted the consequences of my actions." She grimaced. "Now, I'm going to sleep." She slipped into unconsciousness as a stretcher was brought.

Rei watched the paramedics take Michelle away. He felt someone was watching him and turned to meet Amara's amber gaze.

Arama smirked at him, not once did she glance at her fallen comrade. She had not even gone over to her to see if she was all right.

Rei scowled at her before turning to retrieve his blade, only to find that Kai had all ready gotten it for him. Rei took it from his grasp. "Make sure you defeat her. I don't care what's wrong with her, but she didn't even regard that Michelle was injured." He growled out.

"I will defeat her." Kai stated. He met with Arama's gaze and held it.

Their battle had begun even before they stepped up to the dish.

* * *

A/N: "I hate writing beybattles! They are the bane (as of right now) of my existance! Anyway, Michelle won her match and now the final battle is about to begin. What's the deal with Michelle's armor changing color anyway and Bahamut as well? Heh, you'll find out later.The next one might take a while before coming out. "Why?" you ask. Because I have to write another beybattle!" goes into feeble position "This next battle is going to haunt me... I know it..." shifty eyes "It'll never turn out right... I know it..." regains composure and coughs "Anyway, any ideas for the battle would be appreciated, I have an idea but I would like to hear yours, so drop me a line. Once again feel free to correct any mistakes I might have missed. Oh, and the next update might come soon or it might come later, it all depends on my schedule now that schoolhas started again.Later!" 

Death


	18. Chapter 17

The BBA had finally learned to put a medical bay inside the stadium instead of taking those who were injured to the nearest hospital. Here was where they took Michelle and took careful assessment of her injuries. Broken ribs, maybe a punctured lung, internal bleeding, many cuts and bruises, in laymen's terms, she was a mess.

Michelle's eyes cracked open. She groaned as her eyes adjusted to the light.

"'wake are yeh?" A heavily accented voice asked. "To'k quit teh beatin'."

Michelle glanced over to see one of the medics, a female with long black hair and a calm face. Michelle let out another groan.

"How yeh feelin'?"

"Like…" Michelle coughed and choked out. "Crap…"

The medic laughed. "Yer friend dis b'out ready ta start 'er match. Don' worry, yeh weren' out fer long. Yeh 'ave some visiters, but make sure yeh take it easay." She stood up and turned on the T.V. that was position in the room and exited the room.

Michelle glanced up at the television and saw that the next match hadn't even started yet. Amara and Kai were still waiting. She didn't even notice the visitors who came in.

"Michelle!"

Michelle looked over and saw Ari, Reno, and Haru next to her bed.

"Are you all right?" Ari asked. "I don't think these medics do a great job. Want me to heal you, or would you rather be treated by these mundane methods?" Michelle gave Ari a small glare that provided her answer. Ari smirked and slipped into _Unity _healing Michelle. Most of her more severe wounds mended but she was left with the bruises and the aching of her whole body.

"What did you do Michelle?" Reno asked.

"What do you mean?" She asked with a wince. "I defeated Rei."

"That's not what I meant." Reno replied.

"What he means is that somehow you got different armor," Ari elaborated.

"Different armor?" Michelle asked breathlessly.

Haru nodded. "Bahamut changed as well."

"You didn't notice?" Reno pressed and was shocked to see Michelle shake her head. "I guess we'll just have to get a copy of that match. I'm sure that the Chief and the BladeBreakers won't mind sharing that footage."

"How's Bahamut doing?" Haru inquired.

Michelle looked startled at his question at first before turning to her link. _Bahamut?_

_Yes? _Bahamut's reply was weak, strained even, but he seemed to be all right.

_Just wanted to check if you were all right._

_I would be better if you just let me rest. _

Michelle chuckled knowing he meant no ill toward her, in fact she felt relief sweep over her through their _Unity_, relief knowing that she was all right as well, just a little beat up.

"Hey, looks like Amara and Kai are going to start their match finally." Reno said.

"Why was there a delay?" Michelle asked.

"Mostly because of you getting hurt." Ari asked.

"Oh,"

"I wonder what Amara has up her sleeve, without Tiamat and all." Reno commented.

"She'll still be a challenge for Kai," Haru stated, "even though he does have an advantage."

Michelle narrowed her eyes. "What are you hiding Haru?" Her icy eyes met with his steel ones. "I know you're not talking about the advantage of having a bitbeast. You're hiding something."

Haru just shrugged. "I might know something, but it cannot be proven until later." He ran a hand through his hair. "It's not going to do you any good whether you know or not."

Michelle let out an exasperated sigh. "Whatever. You will tell once it is proven right?"

Haru let slip a ghost of a smile and nodded.

"3!"

The four members of Wingz Corp turned their attention to the television. The launch countdown had begun and Amara and Kai stood opposite each other.

Amara had a smirk on her face before it slipped away to be replaced by an expression of loathing. The camera had closed in on her revealing her amber eyes that burned and seemingly could cause anyone to feel frightened for his or her life.

"2!"

The screen now showed Kai. Expressionless, cold even was the mask he wore, at first it seemed no different than the one he always wore. However, his crimson eyes were dark and stormy, unusual flecks of amber could be seen in their depths.

"1!"

* * *

"Are you ready to die?" Arama asked. "You know that is my symbol. The Death Wing." Her smirk returned, more malicious than before. 

"That is Amara and Tiamat's symbol, not yours." Kai countered.

"Let it rip!" The ref shouted and swung his arm down.

At the same time, Arama and Kai snapped back their arms, pulling the cord to release their blades. They wasted no time for frivolities, such as the one to play the game of cat and mouse. The black and blue blades collided with each other in the center of the dish completely wiping out the plains area. Faster then the eye could follow the blades broke apart only to slam into once again.

They traded blows. Retaliation and counterattack, break apart and meet once again to continue the fight for dominance as attack rings were already beginning to wear down. The blades fought around the circumference of the dish, but did well to avoid the water.

The ocean, the desert and the swamp were the only original landforms left. Of course now it seemed that the desert covered most of the dish leaving the swamp and ocean untouched. That definitely wouldn't last long.

Arama's blade drove right into the swamp, simply unhindered by the muck, while Kai's blade had a little more trouble.

"Call out your bitbeast, Phoenix Wing!" Arama mocked, using the nickname that Amara had called him when they first met. "If you don't, you are not going to last long."

Kai didn't respond to her, ignoring her taunts.

_You don't need to call out Dranzer in order to make maneuvering the swamp easier. _Tiamat said in his mind. _The ability of flight is always there for use even without you partner being out in corporal form. You need to wait for Arama to make a mistake before you call forth Dranzer._

_I know._

Kai's blue and red blade hovered slightly above the surface, just skimming the murky waters and gave pursuit of Arama's ebony blade.

Arama glowered. She ordered her blade to completely change the direction of its spin and have it miraculously not lose any of its momentum. It crashed head on with its opponent. Tendrils of a dark energy whipped about it, leaving everything they touch as dust. The murky water became sand and the thick foliage crumbled.

Kai fought on, his hands clenched into fists as he mentally told his blade to hold on. Glancing up he saw that Arama was surrounded by the same energy as her dark blade.

Arama stretched out her hand and the energy entwined around her slender fingers. She smirked, the aura causing strands of her hair to blow across her face, as she gripped the clasp of her cloak and pulled it off. Black, leathery wings unfolded from her back, slipping easily through the pre-cut holes of her skintight black shirt. The wings dripped with blood that splattered on the hard floor as they stretched, folding and unfolding, flexing and extending.

Placing a hand on her hip, just above the waistband of her khaki shorts that reached her knees, Arama called out to Kai, "I don't need Tiamat. I have more then enough power by myself."

It was Kai's turn to scowl. The wings screamed mockery to him. They were a mockery to the wings that Tiamat had bestowed upon Amara in _Unity _and in _Perfect Unity_, even though there was a viable chance that those were the same wings. But for Arama to use them as her own that just pissed him off.

Arama closed her eyes in concentration, her blade driving forward. As sudden as her eyes snapping open, Kai's blade was sent flying crashing into the side of the dish with enough force to cause his launch platform to become unstable.

"Kai! Be careful!" He vaguely heard Rei call out from behind him.

Finding his balance on the slightly crumbling structure, Kai returned his attention to the battle. He could feel Dranzer's flames coursing through him, begging to be released. He could feel that Tiamat was getting anxious as well, to be so close to his chosen partner but yet still so far away.

* * *

Amara grimaced in pain, her back flaring up in sudden agony. "You take my control, you take my symbol, and now you take my wings." She growled out. "I will find a way to destroy you, Arama." 

Knowing full well that Arama was too distracted with her battle to comment, Amara continued to grumble about her other half. She watched through Arama's eyes, not paying too much attention on the battle but all the more on Kai.

Something was different. Amara had decided on that fairly quickly, but what was different was the hard thing to figure out. There was almost another presence about him, a presence that was vaguely familiar.

There was something off about his eyes. The flecks of amber seemed out of place in the crimson depths.

Amara's own eyes widened marginally. "It can't be! Tiamat!" The notion was absurd and soon Amara believed it to be nothing more than her wishful thinking just because she had felt Tiamat some time before. She shook her head. "I'm just imagining things…"

But still, wishful thinking didn't always hurt. Especially since that that thinking is more or less based on fact.

The problem was that Amara didn't know this.

* * *

"Having some troubles, Phoenix Wing?" Arama asked. "Be careful or you might fall, and we wouldn't want that to happen." 

"Hn." Was the only acknowledgement that Kai had to Arama's taunt, keeping almost all of his attention on the match. His blade would make an advancement only to find that the ebony blade would just phase out of existence only to appear behind or off to the side of him. The navy blade was then forced to make a tricky maneuver to evade and then start the whole cycle over again.

Kai analyzed every move that Arama made, looking for some fault in her technique; some sort of opening that would turn the tables. Continuing with his advancements, Kai began to notice a pattern. It wasn't exactly a pattern since it had enough variation to keep him from noticing, but the likeness was there. The point was that there was a general configuration and all he had to do was to predict precise location.

Simple enough… Yeah right.

"Attack!" Kai called. His blade complied and as usual Arama's blade faded out of existence.

_Moment of truth. _Kai heard Tiamat comment.

Following the pattern he figured the ebon-blade would appear somewhere off to his left. Making a sudden turn, the blade that held Dranzer drove forward seemingly about ready to attack air, until its adversary appeared and took the blow.

Arama sneered as her blade was sent flying through the sir before landing upright along the shore. "Lucky guess."

_As much as I hate to admit it, she has a point. You were lucky on that strike. _Tiamat remarked.

"Dranzer!" Kai shouted. Flames engulfed his blade as a phoenix rose from the centerpiece, its feathers an array of red, gold, white and orange and its beak and talons glinted deadly. With great force, Dranzer slammed into Arama's blade and sent it flying over the water. The shock of the blow wore down the support on Arama's side and soon her platform became unstable as well.

Arama laughed. "Well, this is certainly interesting." Her blade was still spinning atop of the water, much to everyone's surprise, causing the water to ripple. "This game just gets more and more dangerous… all the more fun." The water began to surge and waves were building.

Dranzer spun along the shore watching its prey upon the water.

The energy began to build around Arama's blade again and before Kai could react to Tiamat's shout of warning, power tore through the stadium. Tremors were felt and the already unstable launching platforms began to completely crumble.

Kai and Arama both fell into the large blading dish as dust was flung up obscuring everyone's view. But it didn't really matter since they wouldn't be able to see through the black fog that appeared anyway.

* * *

Rei closed his eyes and brought up his arm to cover his face from the dust. Lowering his arm once it began to clear, his eyes widened in surprise, "Kai!" 

The ref looked dumbfounded. Unable to see anything he had no idea what or how to call the match.

"Looks like we have a slight problem down in the arena." Brad remarked.

"Slight?" A.J. countered, sounding stunned.

Many in the audience could hear the shrug in Brad's voice, "Well, it could be worse."

"Don't say that, you'll jinx us. Well, Mr. Dickinson, chairman of the BBA, has joined us here in the box to give his official ruling."

There was a pause before the chairman's voice rang through the stadium. "We will wait until this strange 'fog' clears before we make any official calls. No doubt our two competitors are still battling in that. Please be patient."

Another pause.

"Well, doesn't this slightly remind you of another battle two years ago with our World Champion against the Russian team?" A.J. asked.

* * *

Hillary let out a gasp. She couldn't believe what she was seeing. "H-how is this possible?" She asked no one in particular. 

"Chief, even though we lost visual I can still record the energy readouts." Dizzi commented directing anyone who had listen to Hillary's comment to the laptop in Kenny's lap.

"This is just insane." Max said and it pretty much summed everything up fairly well.

"Man, I wish I could see what is going on." Tyson complained.

"Not much is happening," They all turned to see Syn speaking. "They just seem to be regaining their bearings and conversing. They haven't continued battling yet."

"How do you know?" Tyson asked.

Syn turned his green eyed gaze to him, but Ryld was the one to answer for him, just to annoy Tyson. "Because he can see."

Tyson narrowed his eyes. "How-" But he was cut off by Kenny placing a hand over his mouth, effectively keeping him from rudely retorting.

Kenny asked the question instead keeping his tone civil and polite. "How is that you can see?" He asked Syn.

A smirk threatened to appear on Syn's face, but he managed to keep it hidden. "With the help of my bitbeast and the ability to see well in the shadows anyway." He answered, not in a condescending tone, but more so like an older sibling explaining something to the younger.

Max looked past Tyson and Kenny at Hillary. "Hillary, are you alright?" He asked, concern growing in his voice as he noted the stun expression.

Tyson even took a moment to ignore Ryld and Syn. "Hil, you alright?"

"How can anyone do that?" She asked gesturing to the dish. "I don't understand!" She stood up and walked to the aisle, exiting the stadium.

Tyson, Max, Kenny, Dizzi, even Ryld and Syn just sat in bewilderment. After a moment of stunned silence, Tyson jumped out of his seat and took off after her.

Syn and Ryld looked at each and blinked in confusion.

"What was that about?" It didn't mattered who asked the question out loud, since they were all thinking it.

* * *

Michelle slammed her fist down on the mattress. "What the hell! Damnit! What's going on?" 

"Michelle calm down." Ari reprimanded.

"How can I calm down when I can't see what's going on!" Michelle shouted back, threatening to throw back the covers and stalk right back to the arena and-

Her imagined rampage was cut short by Haru. "Don't even think about getting out of this bed. Suspicions will rise if you suddenly appear healed."

"I don't care!" Michelle snapped.

"You should, Michelle." Reno piped up. "What is with you?"

Michelle flopped back against the pillows, her arm flung over her eyes. "I don't know… I feel so stressed."

"Maybe you still have adrenaline from the battle and no way to get rid of it since you're stuck in bed." Reno remarked.

"Not helping." Michelle replied.

Ari turned her attention back to the television. "I, too, wonder what is happening."

"Hillary! Wait up!"

All their heads snapped to the door that was slightly opened to see a familiar girl run by. "Leave me alone, Tyson!"

The next person to run by was said capped, dark haired, World Champion. "Hillary, come on! Tell me what's wrong!"

"Did I miss something?" Michelle asked.

"I think we all did." Haru commented.

"I'll go check up on them." Ari stated and jogged out, her honey hair swishing out behind her as she exited.

* * *

Kai let out a slight groan as he got to his feet. Quick assessment revealed that he came out of the fall with bruises and a few cuts. Looking up he noticed that he couldn't see the stands filled with people; all he could see above him was what looked like black clouds. 

Splashing water drew his attention and Kai glanced over.

Arama stood up, her clothes were drenched and her wet hair clung to her face. The water came up past her knees as her blade spun nearby. With a smirk she walked out of the water. "Interesting, no one can see what happens now. No one will see me kill you, Kai. Though it's kind of a shame that I have to kill with no to see… Well there is one who is watching." She walked up to Kai and grabbed him by his scarf to pull his face close to hers.

_Watch Amara…_

Arama pressed her lips against his in a bruising manner before suddenly pushing him away with a kick to his abdomen. She smirked demonically, slipping into a fighting stance. "Up the stakes shall we?"

Kai regained the breath he had lost from Arama's kick. "Fine by me." He pulled the collar of his scarf over the lower part of his face, covering his mouth and nose. In so doing, he was pointing out that he had no more to say to her.

_Now would be the time, Kai. _Tiamat urged.

Kai inclined his head. Flames built up around him and his blade, but they were mixed with shadows that were out of place.

Arama took a surprised step back as her blade recoiled away. "What this?"

* * *

Amara was fuming with what Arama had done. Her hands were clenched so tightly that she tore through the skin of her palms. "Arama…" She growled. She paced about, anxious and angry and righteously so. 

Her pacing stopped and her eyes widened as she watched the battle. "No way. Kai is using _Unity_." _How is that possible? I know the first time was by pure chance. But for him to use it so casually, who could have taught him? _

The shadows that mixed themselves with the flames of Dranzer were very familiar.

"Tiamat!"

* * *

It was a strange feeling since it wasn't only Dranzer he was united with, but with Tiamat as well. One of his wings was Dranzer's own; the feathers were soft to the touch but looked like fire, the other wing was Tiamat's a match to Arama/Amara's. His armor was a fusion of Tiamat and Dranzer, ruby was embellished with ebony but it was light and gave more to movement than one would have expect. Yet, his scarf remained, the collar still pulled up over the lower half of his face. 

It didn't feel like it was his own yet, since Tiamat was a part of it, but just being able to feel Dranzer in a way that he didn't think was possible, he couldn't wait to achieve the level of _Unity _that the Wingz Corp had.

"Well, well, well. Tiamat makes himself known. You wouldn't believe how excited Amara is right now." Arama chuckled as she stood out of her stance and stretched, her hair, wings, and clothes still dripping water. "Let's see how well you can maintain _Unity_." With that said she slipped back into a fighting stance that was different than the one she was in before.

The only reply she received from the BladeBreakers' captain was that of his own stance. This was no longer a battle between beyblades and the will of the bladers; the bladers themselves will fight as well.

The stakes had risen indeed.

* * *

A/N: "Yay! I got the next chapter up! Yes,I still hate beybattles. Yes, this chapter was a little cliche with the whole falling into the dish thing..." sighs "You know what? I don' care!" laughs manically "If you see any mistakes or anything, please tell me about them, so I could maybe try to fix them later. It would be really helpful, especially if something doesn't make sense. Hope you enjoyed and the next chapter is almost ready. The conclusion of the battle!"

Death


	19. Chapter 18

Tyson sprinted to catch up to Hillary, faster than anyone expected him to run. Kai would have been proud (in his own way). He finally caught a hold of her wrist and stopped, refusing to budge.

This, of course, would have had Kai laughing (in his own way again, since the captain of ice never laughs) and mocking him. Tyson hated the laws of motion, momentum, whatever.

Despite the firm grip on her wrist, Hillary kept running and that resulted in the owner of the hand to be jerked forward causing both to loose their balance and fall to the ground. With Tyson landing on top of her, one might add.

Tyson got off of her as quickly as he could and expected a smack or something like that. He was surprised when that didn't happen.

Hillary remained on her stomach, head cradled in her arms, shoulders shaking.

"Um, Hillary?"

Hillary didn't reply, still shaking with sobs.

"Hillary, what's wrong?" Tyson asked with growing concern. "You can tell me."

"I don't know what's going on!" Hillary wept into her arms. "I don't know!"

Tyson was beyond dumbfounded. It took him a moment before he pulled Hillary off the floor and held her in a friendly hug as she continued crying. "What don't you understand? Why are you acting like this?"

"I don't know. I've been with you guys for a year, but I've never seen you battle like this." She sniffled. "I don't understand why you risk your lives, all for a stupid game!"

"You're afraid, aren't you?" Tyson asked, continuing when Hillary looked up at him with tearful eyes. "You're worried about what might happen. But this is probably what you don't understand; we love this sport and all the challenges that it throws at us, despite how dangerous. Yeah, competition is a little different this year, I'll admit, but I will keep on fighting. Even if you don't understand why we do this, understand that it is what we do." Tyson paused and scratched the back of his head in a nervous manner. "And even though it may not seem like it, but I am grateful for you sticking with us and I would like it if you, um, stayed." Red began to creep up on Tyson's face.

Hillary sat back up and wiped the tears away. She smiled up at Tyson. "Thanks Tyson, I needed to hear that. And I'm sorry about breaking down like that."

Tyson took the back of his gloved hand to clear away a stray tear as he grinned back. "No problem, Hil." At that, Hillary turned bright red and Tyson chuckled at her. "Let's head back. I don't want to miss the rest of the battle." He helped her to her feet. Taking a hold of her wrist, Tyson led Hillary back to the stadium, taking a quicker route than the way they had come.

Ari stepped out from behind the corner, watching the two leave. She beamed and whispered out loud, "I hope that denial no longer holds you back. I don't think anything could get more blunt than that." Her smile faded. "Oh, Amara… Why can't you see? You're making things harder for yourself." With that said, Ari walked back to the room where Michelle and the others were waiting.

* * *

_Michelle! _Bahamut's voice seemed to echo through her mind and she winced.

_Bahamut? What is it? What's the matter? _Michelle asked, slightly concerned, not only from his tone but because the battle seemed to take a turn for the worse now that nothing could be seen.

_I can sense Tiamat again!_

"What!" Michelle shouted aloud, startling Reno, Ari, who had just returned, and even Haru had a slightly surprised look.

_It's true! _Bahamut insisted.

Michelle couldn't stop the elation that began to build up in her. "Bahamut says he can sense Tiamat again!" She exclaimed.

"That's great!" Ari as she gave Reno a hug in joy, who, was of course, caught off guard but did managed to keep his balance.

Haru let slip a small smile. He could sense that Kai had unified with both Dranzer and Tiamat due to the fact the both were residing in him. _I knew you could figure _Unity _out, Kai. Tala wasn't kidding when he said you were good._

"Haru?" Michelle looked over at the Metal Wing. "Were you proven right?"

Haru closed his eyes and nodded. "Yes. So I guess I owe you an explanation. Tiamat didn't die, well, in a way he did, but as we thought he was reborn again, just in a place where we would have never thought to look. Tiamat was actually reborn inside of Kai's soul. I noticed it when we were over at Tyson's house during your battle." He turned to Ari and Reno.

"What a strange place to be reborn in." Reno remarked.

"If you think about, it makes sense." Ari commented.

"How so?" Reno inquired.

"There are some things that you can't afford to miss in life." Ari said philosophically with a small smirk.

Michelle chuckled at Reno's confused face, it seemed that he was the only one who didn't come up with the right conclusions. "I hope this battle turns out alright." She stated idly.

"I think it will." Haru supplied.

* * *

Though nothing could be seen, sounds of battle rang through the stadium. The spin and the collision of the combating blades could still be heard.

"Hm, interesting." Syn remarked under his breath.

"Whoa!" Kenny exclaimed before Max or Ryld could inquire exactly what was 'interesting'.

"What is it Chief?" Max asked.

"Dranzer's energy just spiked, it's higher than Amara's now. But only just slightly." Kenny explained.

"But," Dizzi cut in, "Amara's blade has been giving out readings that just continue to grow."

"Syn, you were saying about something being 'interesting'. Care to share?" Ryld turned to his older companion.

"It seems that Kai has picked up an interesting ability. One that bestows wings and armor upon the blader."

"What!" Max, Kenny, and Dizzi all shouted.

"And it also seems that this is no longer a regular beybattle."

That resulted in another round a startled shouts.

* * *

Arama swung her arm back, hand fisted to strike Kai. Her ebony blade spun along side her as she charged.

Kai brought up a gauntlet-covered hand to block her punch and retaliated, his blade was mimicking his movements.

_Amara! _Kai heard Tiamat call out, hoping that his partner would answer, as he drove Arama back on her heels.

Twisting to avoid Kai's next attack, Arama swung out her leg to catch the side of Kai's face. Taking a hop back to separate them, she smirked seeing the blood seeped through the white cloth of his scarf. "First blood is mine."

_It's the last blood that counts. _Tiamat growled, though only Kai could hear the frustrated dragon.

Arama took charge again, feinting to the right, hoping to catch her opponent off-guard, as she shifted her weight back to the right and continued with a series of kicks and punches.

Kai managed to block them all with relative ease. _This is almost too easy. _He thought as Arama hopped back, distancing herself from him. He noted that she seemed to have trouble to level her breathing. _What's going on?_

_I can reach Amara! _Tiamat exclaimed. _Arama is losing control!_

* * *

"Tiamat!" Amara shouted as she worked furiously to restore her link with her bit beast. "Arama! This is it for you!"

The only reply Amara received from her counterpart was a wave of frustration that bore down on her, forcing her to her knees. Amara gritted her teeth against the pressure.

_Amara! _Amara heard Tiamat shout.

"Tiamat! Help me!"

_I won't lose just yet!_

* * *

"I won't lose just yet!" Arama cried. Sweat trailed down her brow, as the world suddenly started to spin. She dropped to one knee as her black blade wavered nearby.

"Give up, Arama." Kai said pulling the blood stained scarf from his face, his armor gradually fading back into his normal clothes. "Amara and Tiamat are already taking back control."

Arama glared and uncoiled from her crouched position lashing out with her left fist that Kai easily caught. She kept her amber glare on him even as he tightened his hand over hers with the popping of bones and joints. "Know this, Kai, I will kill all those Amara cares for. I did it once already and I will gladly do it again." Her eyes glazed over and she collapsed to the ground, her wings disappearing.

Kai felt the presence of Tiamat leave him as he glanced up, noting that the fog-like dome still remained. He gazed back down at Arama's prone form.

_That was interesting._

This new voice certainly wasn't Tiamat.

* * *

Tiamat stood next to Amara in his dragon form while she rested a hand against his scales. "It's over, Arama." Tiamat growled.

Arama stood across from the two, a scowl on her features. "It will never be over. As long as Amara exists, I exist. You can't be rid of me."

Amara looked on Arama with pity almost in her eyes. "You are a creation of my anger and that is the only thing you can feel." Amara walked away from Tiamat's side and went to stand in front of Arama.

Arama took a step back, but Amara had cupped her face in her hands. "Arama, I'm sorry. I hate you, but in fact I'm only hating myself. I am sorry that all I ever directed toward you was hatred."

Arama slapped Amara's hands away and brought her face close, so close their noses were almost touching. A sneer was upon her face and she started to chuckle. "Don't feel sorry, I certainly won't when I kill all you love. Believe me when I say this; it has only just begun."

Amara inclined her head and retreated as Tiamat let loose a roar. Black flames engulfed Arama, imprisoning her, but she just stood there with her arms crossed over her chest a defiant look on her face.

_Go back, Amara. _Tiamat said. _I'll take care of things._

"Tiamat, you don't know how good it is to hear your voice again. I've caused so much trouble…"

_Go, Amara. We'll talk more later._

_Thank you._

* * *

Amara slowly opened her eyes again. At first she flexed her fingers, wincing slightly as pain shot through her left hand, but she was glad for it since it proved that she was once again in control. Moving to a sitting position she looked up at Kai, who was standing next to her. "Kai?"

Kai was startled out of his thoughts by Amara's voice. Meeting her eyes, he was glad to see their dark green color again. "You're back."

Amara pulled her knees up to her chest and hugged them. "Yeah… I'm sorry. Sorry, for all the trouble I've caused. This has been all my fault!"

"Hey. Stop it." Kai ordered and Amara immediately stiffened. "Things happen, so get over it." Looking up, he noticed that the strange fog was clearing and ever so slightly, his voice softened. "I understand because I see who you truly are and I know that some things just can't be helped."

Burying her face against her knees, hiding the tears that started to fall, Amara whispered. "Thank you."

Kai heard her whisper and inclined his head in reply.

"Looks like that strange fog is clearing." Brad's voice could be heard again.

"I'm starting to make out some features." A.J. commented.

Amara got to her feet and straightened. "I guess I lost. But I'm not going to accept my defeat sitting on the ground." She smirked slightly. "I have to retained my dignity that way." She offered, ignoring the aches in her limbs.

"Kai's blade is still spinning! But only just barely!"

The two glanced up to see the blackness completely gone and the referee standing at the edge of the ruined dish. After registering what he had said, Kai and Amara saw that Dranzer was indeed still spinning and wobbling, while the black blade Arama used was immobile "Amara's blade is done! Kai is the winner!"

Shouts went out through the crowd as the opponents climbed out of the dish, each carrying their own beyblade and looking a little worse for wear.

Rei ran over to his partner. "Are you okay?" He asked and received a nod in reply. Glancing over Kai's shoulder his eyes narrowed at Amara.

"Rei, she's back to herself. It was her berserker half that was in control." Kai remarked.

Rei nodded in understanding. "She still has much to explain though."

Hearing Rei's remark, Amara glanced over. "I'll do my best." She replied.

"Congratulations!" The three turned to see Mr. Dickinson walking over to them. The referee ran over and handed him his microphone. "I would like to congratulate our winners, Rei and Kai of the BladeBreakers! But I would also like to congratulate Amara and Michelle of the Wingz Corp as our runner-ups. These two teams along with our reigning World Champion and his partner will take place in the "Road to the World Championships"! The first tournament on this worldwide tour will start in New York, New York, America. While they will be competing against each other they will still represent our country." He shook each of the contestants' hands, though Amara was a little hesitant. "Once again, congratulations!" Again the crowd let out a deafening roar.

"Thank you all for coming!" Brad said.

"Yeah, if you're heading across seas, we'll see you all in New York!" A.J. added. "If not, we'll be broadcasting live anyway."

"Rei! Kai!" The two glanced over to see Kenny, Tyson, Max and Hillary running over to him. "Awesome fight!" Tyson exclaimed, his voice carrying over the noise of the departing crowd that was leaving in waves. "Amara was pretty scary, wasn't she Kai?"

"Tyson!" Hillary whapped him across the head, "she's still here!"

"Or was…" Max added looking around.

The BladeBreakers glanced around only to find that Amara had disappeared after the Brad and A.J. wished them a farewell.

"I wonder where she went." Kenny remarked idly.

"I might have an idea." Rei stated. "She probably went to go see Michelle."

"Hey! We should down there too!" Tyson said, already pulling Hillary along toward the medical bay.

"Tyson," Kai's voice froze him in place, "wait."

"Why?"

Rei continued for Kai, "I think there are a few things to resolve before we bug them." Max, Kenny, and Hillary all nodded in agreement and Tyson soon had to comply. "We'll head down in a little while."

* * *

Amara sprinted down the hall. She didn't care how tired she was, or how much her limbs protested and threatened to just give out. She had to admit that Arama really did a number on her body and she felt on the verge of collapsing. However, as stupid as it sounded, she promised her body that she would let it collapsed after she had explained as much as she could to Michelle. Glancing through the doors as she sprinted past, she almost missed the room that Michelle was placed in. Pushing open the door, ignoring the surprised looks of Ari, Reno and Haru, Amara pulled the even more surprised, bedridden Michelle in a hug. "I'm sorry! I'm so sorry!"

"A-Amara?" Michelle asked uncertain

"I shouldn't have kept so much hidden! I should have trusted you more! I'm sorry!" Amara cried.

Michelle awkwardly patted her back. "It's okay." She carefully pulled Amara away from her and held her out at arm's length. "Don't worry, I think I came up with the right conclusions, so I think I understand what's going on."

"But all the things that I- Arama- had done-"

"Who's Arama?" Reno spoke up. Amara looked over as if she just realized they were there. "Who's Arama?" Reno repeated.

Amara straightened to stand beside Michelle's bed. She let out a small sigh before explaining, "Arama is me. She is my other half. I am known as a berserker, I was born one." She paused glancing back at Michelle before continuing. "When I was little and still living in America with my family, I could always hear two different voices. One was Arama; she would always try to get me to do something destructive when I got angry and a few times she almost succeeded but there was the other voice; Tiamat. Tiamat kept Arama locked up inside of me, there would be times when she would almost escape, especially those times when I go berserk." Amara inhaled deeply and closed her eyes. Letting out her breath slowly, she went on. "When I was six or seven, Arama got free of Tiamat's control and mine as well. She was free to do what she pleased and she had the power of Tiamat at her disposal. S-She…" Amara's hands tightened into fists and she clenched her eyes shut.

A hand was placed upon her shoulder and her eyes snapped open. Haru looked down at Amara and shook his head. "If it is too hard to say, then don't. We understand and we have the patience to wait until you're ready to tell us."

Amara bit her lip and nodded before continuing. "Tiamat helped me repress my memories, and with my memories repressed I forgot about Arama and since I had no idea she existed anymore she couldn't take control. Everything else is a blur; the next thing I remember is meeting Michelle. I guess the memories of coming here are still repressed." Amara lowered her head and let out another sigh.

"What's wrong Amara?" Ari asked. "If you're hurt, I can heal you."

"Just a few cuts, that's all." Amara replied. "I think I… just need… some… sleep…" She trailed off as started to fall forward, right into Haru.

Haru caught her and hoisted her up in his arms. "She really is asleep. She didn't just pass out."

"She's been through a lot." Reno said. Turning to Michelle he asked, "Do we just leave, or do we have to check you out of here?"

"I believe I can handle the release." The group turned to see Mr. Dickinson standing in the doorway.

"Thank you, sir." Ari gave a small smile and a bow.

Mr. D smiled back at Ari's sweet demeanor. "Miss Katsumonu," he held out an envelope, "this has all the information on the next tournament. It also holds your plane tickets. Since Miss Hirokami left before I could give this to her, I figured I would find one of you if not both down here." Michelle climbed out of bed and took the envelope. Mr. Dickinson raised an eyebrow seeing that she was up and moving but did not say anything. "You have more visitors coming, so I wouldn't leave just yet. But whenever you're ready to go, just go right ahead and take your leave."

"Thank you." Michelle inclined her head and watched the older man take his leave. She looked down at the envelope before drawing her finger under the seal and pulling out the papers. She didn't get the chance to read through them because Tyson suddenly burst through.

"Hey! That was an awesome battle!" He was going to continue his shout but he noticed that Michelle was standing even after seeing all the wounds she had sustain during her battle and that Amara was sleeping in Haru's arms. His mouth closed with a snap.

The rest of the BladeBreakers took this moment of sudden silence to appear. They all strode into the room, except Kai who stood leaning against the threshold.

"Michelle what are you doing out of bed?" Rei asked. He then realized the stupidity of his question when Ari giggled. "Never mind,"

"I believe we owe you a long explanation," Michelle said.

"I think it can wait," Max remarked. "Until everyone is awake and coherent." He added with a smile toward the sleeping Amara.

"That probably is a good idea." Reno said crossing his arms over his chest. "But just don't expect that everything will be revealed to you."

"Why not?" Hillary inquired.

"We all have our secrets." Ari replied. "And sometimes revealing them is not the best. It takes time."

Kenny took his laptop out from under his arm and opened it, allowing Dizzi to speak up. "I've managed to collect and save the data from your battles."

"We can review them sometime before we leave for America." Kenny added.

"Thanks." Michelle bowed. "I heard that I did something different with my _Unity _and I don't remember what, so I would like to see the clip of that."

"You don't remember what happened?" Tyson asked, astounded, to which Michelle replied with a shake of her head.

Amara let out a sigh and everyone turned to look at her as silence filled the room. Kai felt of twinge of something as he looked at her in Haru's arms. What it was, he wasn't sure, but he didn't like it. Not one bit.

Haru caught his gaze with his steel eyes. Understanding flickered through their depths. _Jealously is very unbecoming of you, Kai. _He thought. "Michelle, I believe we should return home."

Michelle gave Rei a fleeting look before nodding in agreement. "We'll talk more tomorrow. Hopefully Amara will be ready to explain some things to you." She gave a helpless shrug, "But you never know with Amara."

"Can you just answer me one question before you go?" Tyson asked, usually serious.

"Yeah, what?"

"Do you know anyone by the name Ryld or Syneon?"

A confused look passed over Michelle's face. She looked around at Ari, Reno and Haru to see if they recognized the names. Turning back to Tyson, she shook her head. "No, sorry. I guess we don't." Tyson inclined his head in understanding. "Let's get going," They nodded to the BladeBreakers as they left.

Haru was the last to exit. He walked passed Kai with a slight nod, but was stopped when a hand caught his shoulder.

Kai removed his hand once Haru faced him. "Haru, I do see."

"Good." Haru replied and left, trailing a ways behind the other Wingz Corp.

"Things just keep on getting more and more interesting." Tyson remarked and the others had to agree. Turning to his team with a wide grin on his face Tyson said, "Whatever this tournament throws at us, we'll be ready!"

* * *

A/N: "Its over! No, not the story, but this part. So how do Ryld and Syn fit in with all this besides working with Boris and BioVolt? Who exactly are they anyway? You'll find out sooner or later. (Probably later)" laughs "I can't believe how long this story has gotten and I can't believe I'm still sticking with it.

I don't mean to beg or anything, but getting reviews are nice, and it let's me know that my work is appreciated. As of right now my story has 677 hits but only 45 reviews. So please, it'll only take a minute of your time, drop me a line and tell me how I'm doing.

Besides, today is my birthday anda couple of reviews would make a nice present..." elbow nudge

"Don't know what else to say besides the normal tell me if I missed any mistakes or if something doesn't make sense. See you in the next chapter! (it might be a little boring)"

Death


	20. Chapter 19

The Wingz Corp group stopped at the entrance to wait for Haru and Amara, who left the BladeBreakers a little later than the rest of them. While they were probably one of the last to leave the stadium, there were still a few people hanging around, most of them were BladeBreaker groupies, so they left the Wingz alone. There were two, however, that seemed intent on meeting them.

"I must say that that was a great match." Commented the black haired, rusty-eyed boy wearing a long black trench coat. "It shall be interesting to see how great you become." Behind him stood an older boy, a bandana held his light brown hair out of his closed eyes as his arms were crossed over his broad chest.

"And who might you two be?" Ari asked warily being the closest to the two.

"My name is Ryld." He took a step forward and held out his bandaged right hand to shake. "You?"

"Ari." She cautiously took his hand and was surprise to see him raise her hand to his lips. Reno was twitching profusely from where he was standing behind Ari. Michelle had to place a hand on his shoulder to keep him from doing anything.

"A pleasure, you are truly like an _Angel_." He stressed the title, which caused Ari to become immensely uncomfortable as he released her hand.

"And your companion?" Ari asked as she resisted the urge to wipe her hand on the fabric of her pants.

"His name is Syneon, but call he prefers to be called Syn." The older teen opened his eyes and nodded a greeting.

Michelle was taken aback, as were Ari and Reno, at Syn's eyes. Green that was as dark as Amara's that made them eerily alike. Ari shook the shock off. "This is Reno and Michelle," she introduced.

"Michelle, I must say again that you had a very good match." Ryld complimented.

Before she could answer a "Hey," was heard. They all turned to see Haru with Amara still in his arms. "I didn't expect you to wait up." He stated.

"Haru, it's nice to finally meet you in person." Ryld remarked as Haru just gave him a blank stare. He let out a small laugh. "And here we have the great Arama, or I guess its Amara now."

"How do you know that?" Reno snapped. Ryld just let out another laugh and that just seemed to piss off Reno even more.

Haru shifted Amara in his arms. "How is it that you know who I am?" Diffusing Reno's rage so Haru's question could get answered before he tried to tear Ryld apart.

Ryld shrugged. "Take a guess, I'm sure you could get the right answer on the first try." Haru indeed knew the answer but he chose to keep quiet.

"If you would excuse us, Ryld." Michelle finally spoke up, "but we must be going."

"I believe we've held them up long enough, Ryld." Syn took this moment to say something; everyone's eyes were drawn to him. "Ryld." He turned his gaze to his partner.

"Right, right." Ryld sighed before returning his attention back to the Wingz Corp, a smirk upon his lips. "We'll be seeing each other again, count on it." The two of them turned and left the Wingz.

"Those must be the two Tyson mentioned." Ari said watching them leave.

"I don't like them." Reno remarked bluntly.

"Neither do I." Haru agreed.

"Arama must've had contact with them." Michelle speculated. "Hopefully Amara knows something."

"That Syn, though…" Ari trailed off, deep in thought. The others gave her a moment to put her thoughts together. "His eyes… they were so akin to Amara's."

"What could that mean though?" Reno asked.

"As of right not, it means nothing." Michelle stated firmly. "All that matters is that we get back to HQ without any incident and rest up. I know that we all are going to need it." With that said, they left the stadium and made their way back home.

* * *

_Amara sat down in front of the chained Arama, watching her struggle against the bonds. Tiamat rested next to her, his ebony head placed in her lap as she idly ran her fingers along the smooth scales._

_Arama finally stopped struggling and plopped to the floor, fixing Amara with her own gaze. "Enjoying my suffering?" She asked bitterly._

_Amara shook her head._

"_Then why the hell do you continue to sit there and watch me?" Arama grew irritated._

"_I'm trying to remember, Arama." Amara spoke up. "Inside of mine and Michelle's house, when I first met you, I recalled saying that I created you as remembrance to forget. But I realized that I was wrong. Everything before meeting Michelle was suppressed, except I knew for a fact that I was berserker, but I didn't understand how powerful. Truthfully, I was afraid to test out my powers, I guess even though I couldn't remember you exactly, I could remember not give up all control."_

"_I never met with you." Arama spat._

"_Yes, that's right. However, I believe that even though you were willing to work on the same terms with me, you were just biding your time before you would take control. Tiamat didn't argue because he felt that we reached an understanding, but he kept my memories repressed, and I understand that he didn't want to jeopardize what was becoming a concurrence. Then the fight with Damian… I died therefore you died, that's why you don't remember what happened before, or more like you didn't bother to look in my memories to truly understand." _

_Arama smirked. "It would've been a waste of my time, I only took what I needed."_

"_As I was saying, when I was brought back to life you were revived as well, but I couldn't find Tiamat. My suppressed memories started to return to me and there was nothing I could do to fend you off and you were finally able to take control. However, I still don't remember everything." Amara finished._

"_Are you done?" Arama asked scathingly._

"_For now."_

"_I told you this before and make sure that you don't forget; I will get out again. I hope you will always live in the fear that you might release me."_

_Tiamat opened his reptilian eyes and removed his head from Amara's lap as she stood up. He moved to his feet as well, stretching out his great wings._

_Amara turned away from Arama, her own pair of wings unfolding from her back. "Arama, these wings are mine to bear, just as Tiamat is mine to command. Take them again…" Amara looked over her shoulder, her green eye smoldering darkly, "and I will find a way to make you pay dearly." With that said, she left Arama in the back of her subconscious mind._

_Surrounded by a comforting darkness, Amara conversed with Tiamat. "It's so good to have you back."_

"_I glad to be with you again, Amara." Tiamat responded._

"_What happened to you when I died?"_

"_You certainly don't beat around the bush."_

"_You've known me for a long time, Tiamat, you should know this by now." Amara replied._

"_I couldn't feel you any longer." Tiamat answered. "I knew that I had lost you. I was ready to except my fate, but something drew me. Called to me. I didn't really care what was happening but I responded and somehow I managed to join with the link between Kai and Dranzer. But being forcibly separated from _Unity _I was weak and so I remained hidden in Kai's soul. Regaining my strength. When I woke again, I couldn't reach you and I realized that Arama had taken over."_

"_And so you taught Kai _Unity_ to defeat Arama, but you decided to join in on the _Unity_." Amara concluded._

"_Yes."_

_The two slipped into a companionable silence, reading each other's emotions as they finished reconstructing their link._

"_Kai is very interesting." Tiamat remarked offhandedly._

"_Indeed." Amara agreed warily, not liking where the conversation was going._

"_You could just tell-"_

"_Tiamat, drop it." Amara ordered._

"_Yes, ma'am."_

* * *

Congratulations!

On behalf of the BBA, I congratulate you on your success. You are representing the country of Japan in the World Championship and therefore strive to do your best. Competition will be tough and challenging and you may even find discord with your partner but stay strong and continue to blade to the highest standards.

The World Championship will take place in 5 countries and competition will be done in pool play according to a point system:

Win both matches 5 points

Win one and win the tiebreaker 3 points

Win one and lose the tiebreaker 2 points

Lose both 0 points

Win due to forfeit/disqualification etc 4 points

Once pool play is finished, tournament continues in seeded fashion. More details will be given at the tournament, if you have questions contact that BBA and ask for a tournament official

Your first tournament will take place on the 25th of May in New York, New York America. Details concerning the tournaments that follow will be given at a later date.

You have a private plane booked on Monday the 19th that will be taking you, the World Champion, and the other team that qualified (there will be a few stops along the way, but there will be no time for sight-seeing). Family members/tacticians/statisticians/registered friends up to a limited amount may be brought along (2 guests to a participant). Hotel rooms and transportation have all been taken care of.

Planned guests must register first. Pleased register by Sunday the 18th.

Note: There are special events that are happening before the start of the tournament. They take place a few days before the opening matches. One such event is a banquet that allows participants to meet the other competition on friendly terms. This banquet is formal. No exceptions. It is not mandatory to attend. There may be other events that come up.

Your transportation will pick you and your guests up at three in the morning in order to account for the time change.

Once again, congratulations,

Mr. Dickinson

Mr. Dickinson, BBA Head Chairman

* * *

Kenny set down the note on the table in Tyson's dining room. Having just read it aloud, he glanced around at the others. The only one that drew attention to himself was Tyson who sat with his mouth agape.

"Hey, Chief, what time did they say they would pick us up?" He asked completely monotone.

Ah, so that was the problem. Kenny sighed and answered, "Three in the morning, Tyson."

Tyson closed his eyes and nodded. His eyes snapped open and he let out a scream of "What! That's way too early!"

Max tried to placate his partner, "I think we need to be more worried about this banquet. Formal and everything, I wouldn't be surprised if there was dancing and stuff." Tyson let out a groan and slammed his head onto the table with the loud "_thunk_".

Kai sat at the far end of the table with his arms crossed over his chest and eyes closed in concentration. He was too tired and sore to add any comment and he had to commemorate the Wings Corp for being able to use _Unity _almost casually, it was more taxing then it had seemed. He felt a hand on his shoulder and he looked up to see Rei.

"You alright?" Rei asked, his voice going unheard by the discussion of the others.

Kai "hn"ed his response and stood up from his chair. "I'm going somewhere quiet to think." He answered Rei's unvoiced question. Rei was the only one to notice Kai's departure.

The discussion had now turned into a beat-up on Tyson as Hillary chased him around threatening with her fists and Kenny and Max watching with amused expressions.

* * *

_You really should rest. _The voice in his head commented.

_I will. _Kai responded. _Dranzer._ What had surprised Kai the most was not the fact that he could communicate with his bit beast, no he actually was expecting that to happen sometime in the near future, but it was the fact that Dranzer's voice was clearly feminine. Not that he really cared what gender his partner was; he had always assumed that Dranzer was male, but that assumption was clearly shot down. Then again, how was he supposed to know?

Ever since the end of the match, Dranzer and Kai had only a few small conversations. Dranzer really had a passive personality and she only said something when she thought something needed to be said. After communicating with Tiamat for the small amount of time, Kai wondered how Amara put up with him.

_Tiamat is certainly an interesting fellow, _Dranzer remarked idly, _I'll give him that. However I find him more annoying than anything. _

_Glad I'm not the only one. _Kai responded.

_But I am thankful that he was able to teach us _Unity_ in such a short time. _Silence passed between the two as Kai made his way to nowhere, walking down the sidewalk. The afternoon of that Friday was shifting into evening. It was another moment before Dranzer decided to speak up again. _We should be careful the next time we face Tiamat and Amara. No doubt they will be stronger._

_Amara is holding herself back out of fear. If she didn't have that fear she would be much more dangerous. _Kai evaluated.

_Our _Unity _is far from being at the level of the Wingz Corp, we can only maintain it for a short amount of time. That is where we should start with our training. _Dranzer remarked.

_No doubt._

* * *

"Welcome back to the world of the living," Ari smiled when she noted that Amara's eyes fluttered open.

Amara sat up with a groan. "It feels more like hell." She replied looking blearily around. She noticed that she was back in her own room and bed at HQ.

"I take that you still don't feel well."

"What do you think, Ari?" Amara retorted.

Ari smirked. "Well, I already healed any major bruise, cut, scrape, etcetera, but most of your injuries were insignificant. I think your worse injury was your left hand."

_I have Arama and Kai to thank for that one. _"What time is it?" Amara asked, propping up her pillows against the headboard and leaning back upon them.

"Almost eight. It's still Friday in case you're wondering." Ari stood up from her seat next to Amara's bed. "You know, Amara, you had us all worried. I believe that a full explanation is in order. Not anytime soon, mind you, but once you get everything sorted out."

"Ari, you doubt me? You doubt me that I won't tell you everything when I'm ready?" Amara asked, accusation in her voice.

Ari winced and lowered her head. "I guess I do doubt you, I'm sorry."

A small smile found its way to Amara's face. "Good. You should doubt me; who knows what I'll end up doing next. It's okay not to trust me anymore, I don't deserve it."

"You're too hard on yourself." Ari finally stated. "I'll be with the others in the lounge if you feel like socializing." Ari turned and walked out of the room, closing the door behind her.

Amara let out a small sigh and closed her eyes, drifting off once again to sleep.

* * *

Michelle's eyes scanned through the letter again. Once finished, she passed it over to Haru, who was sitting next to her on the couch, allowing him to read it.

"So, what are the details?" Reno asked; his legs draped over one arm of the chair he was sitting in while he leaned back against the other.

"Just gives us a little more info on the tournament and how it will proceed. Along with other unless stuff." Michelle answered. "When we are to be picked up, guest information, other events, stuff like that."

Reno sat up when Ari entered the lounge, inviting her to join him. She gratefully took a seat, curling up in his lap. "Amara's awake, but she'll probably drift off to sleep again."

"If she hasn't already." Michelle chuckled. "How is she?"

"Physically, she's fine other than being exhausted. Mentally, she blames herself." Ari sighed before shifting to a different subject. "What was in the envelope?" Haru reached over and handed her the papers. She glanced through as Reno read over her shoulder.

"You guys don't have to worry. We are taking you along as guests." Michelle answered their unvoiced question.

Reno smirked. "We weren't worried, because even if you weren't going to take us, we would've found some way to come anyway. You just happened to choose the easy route."

"The easy route?" Michelle raised an eyebrow "Stuck for God knows how many hours in the same plane not only with the BladeBreakers but you as well, you call this the easy route!"

"That hurts, Michelle." Reno replied in good humor.

"Since we have nothing going on tomorrow, how 'bout we register then." Ari suggested.

"We might meet up with the BladeBreakers." Haru broke the silence he had been keeping. "They will probably want to know what is up."

"How much do we tell them?" Ari asked. "Surely not _everything_."

"It depends on your definition of 'everything', Ari." Michelle replied.

"And what would that definition be?" Reno inquired.

"The definition where we explain only as much as they ask." Michelle stated wryly.

"Like always," Ari commented.

"Like always," Haru agreed, echoing her.

Michelle stood up and stretched. "I'm going to bed. See you guys in the morning," She waved a goodnight and walked down the hall to the bedrooms.

"Goodnight, Michelle." Ari called after her.

"We need to keep an eye on not only Amara, but Michelle as well." Haru said after a moment of silence, making sure that Michelle wouldn't be able to hear them. "It is strange that even Bahamut doesn't recall what happened during the battle. Solus can sense that his spirit is confused as well as Michelle's."

"How can they not remember?" Reno wondered.

"Who can say." Haru shrugged.

"Maybe it wasn't supposed to happen," Ari speculated, "well, at least not as soon as it did. Maybe they weren't ready for the power they released, so they effectively overloaded, causing them not to remember. You guys saw how uptight Michelle was when she was stuck in the infirmary bed."

"That might be the answer. Still, we should keep an eye on them. They're becoming unpredictable." Haru remarked.

"When were they ever predictable?" Reno asked.

"Never, but that's besides the point." Ari remarked, cuddling closer to him. Haru watched the two, a ghost of a smile on his face.

Reno let out a sigh. "I have a feeling that tomorrow might be a long day."

* * *

Damian scowled at Boris. What he was proposing was absolutely infuriating. "Sorry, but I work alone." He crossed his arms over his chest and turned away to look around the dark room.

"It's already been decided, your name has been down in the tournament since the beginning. You will work with your partner if you ever want to face Michelle and Amara again." Boris replied with a calm from his seat.

"Just go along with him, Damian." Ryld spoke up. "Your new partner is strong but wants to work against us. Of course we have our ways of controlling him." He let out a chuckle. "The wonders of blackmail."

"Black Dranzer and I work alone." Damian said with conviction, glaring at Ryld. And just for the hell of it he glared at Syneon who was standing nearby.

Boris removed his goggles, drawing Damian's attention to him, as his eyes narrowed in dangerous slits. "Who was the one to give you Black Dranzer in the first place? Who retrieve Black Dranzer from the frozen Lake Baikal?"

After a moment Damian replied grudgingly. "You did."

"Good. You will team up with-"

Damian effectively cut him off. "I know, I know. I'll keep an eye on him as well."

Boris smirked and replaced his goggles, turning to Ryld and Syn. "Now there is a certain bit beast that Voltaire and I wish to obtain."

"Tiamat?" Syn inquired.

Boris chuckled cruelly. "That dragon is important but will be easier to capture once we are able to lure Arama out. Bahamut is actually the one. Michelle and her dragon have great-untapped potential as you saw in her battle against Rei. If we could exploit that power for our own benefits, we could be unstoppable."

"But if we get the chance, do you want us to take Tiamat as well?" Syn asked.

"Where one is, the other will likely be there. And what of Kai's Dranzer?" Ryld added.

"If retrieving them doesn't spoil our main objective, then do so. A dragon, symbolizing death, and the phoenix, symbolizing life, quite the contradictory." Boris responded. "Syn, I want you to concentrate on retrieving Bahamut." Syn nodded his understanding. "But make sure you still remain in the upper ranks of the tournament. Ryld you will be back-up if he fails, but for now you will help Damian get acquainted with his new partner."

Ryld smirked wickedly, "Right. This should be interesting," glancing over at Damian.

"For you." Damian snapped.

Syn proficiently ignored the two as they bickered. "So Voltaire wants Bahamut for his untapped potential." He elaborated. "I'll get him…" His green eyes narrowed into a dark glare.

"Be ready to leave for America in a week." Boris stated.

"Sir!"

* * *

A/N: "Ahhhh! This chapter killed me! See, I'm bleeding!" points to gaping wound in chest and head "My mind and soul have been ripped out trying to get this chapter out. The next one isn't any better..." sighs "Well, the next few chapters are going to be boring... They're the filler stuff with some explanations and sometimes just plain crack. God help me..." coughs "Anyway, help out a poor girl by reviewing. Please point out mistakes or inconsistancies. Thanks! Now that I'm out of school, I can hopefully get chapters out faster. Key word; hopefully."

Death


	21. Chapter 20

Hillary thanked Tyson's grandfather as he let her into the house. Making her way to the kitchen, she saw that Rei, Max, Kenny and Kai were all up on the fine Saturday morning. All of them, except for Tyson. Letting out a sigh, she glanced at her watch, which read 10 o'clock. "You didn't try to wake him yet?" She asked.

"We only arrived just a few minutes ago." Rei answered.

"We were just about to go and wake him, but you came." Max added. The brunette sighed and ran a hand through her hair. "Hillary?" Max gave her a confused look.

Hillary put on a small smile. "Can we let him sleep a little longer?" She asked.

Kenny thought for a moment. "I think that will be alright. We can start maintenance on the other blades before we review the battle data."

"Thanks Kenny." Hillary replied.

"Let's get working, Chief." Dizzi remarked. "The sooner we're done with upgrade and repairs the sooner we can get to the fun stuff!"

The group headed outside and settled down on the porch. Kenny pulled out his maintenance kit and asked for Rei's blade. Hillary and Rei watched over Kenny's shoulders while Max and Kai set up a few empty cans and started to put their blades through some basic drills.

_People are coming. _Dranzer's voice rang through Kai's mind. In a flash of flame the blue blade returned to his hand.

Max watched Kai in wonderment as he turned from the drill. "Kai?" He ventured to ask, Draciel returning to his waiting hand. The others soon were watching curiously as well.

Kai waited and wasn't surprised to see Tyson's grandfather leading a group around the house.

"Hey!" Max waved. "We didn't think you guys would come." The Wingz Corp stood before them, dressed casually without their cloaks. Even Amara was with them, even though she still looked a little worse for wear.

Michelle chuckled lightly. "Well, we were planning to head to the BBA and get our guests registered for the Championships."

"We'll probably be heading there later. You can come with us if you want to wait a little longer." Rei suggested.

"Sure, that'd be great."

Rei gestured for them to come over and sit on the steps and porch. "Tyson's still sleeping, but we're going to wake him up soon and then we were planning to go through yesterday's battle." He explained as Michelle sat down next to him.

"How are you doing, Amara?" Max asked walking up to her.

She gave a small shrug for an answer. "I could be better." She replied.

"Well, it was a wicked battle even though we couldn't see half of it." Max explained. "But there was this one guy sitting behind us who said he could."

Amara nodded, half listening to him as she glanced over at Kai. She was startled slightly when a hand was place on her shoulder.

"You're zoning out, Amara." Haru commented. "Max was saying something."

Amara turned back to Max and offered a "Sorry."

"It's okay." Max replied. "It was nothing important, just some weird things about that guy and his companion. You guys can go sit down, Hillary and I will go get Tyson so we can watch yesterday's battles." He turned and followed Hillary into the house to retrieve the sleeping BladeBreaker.

Kai stored away his blade and walked over to join the others, stepping up on the porch and leaning against a post. Amara sat across from him, sitting parallel to the edge of the deck, also leaning against a post. Haru stood on the ground next to her, almost like a constant vigil.

Amara sighed and closed her eyes. She was still tired and felt like she would just pass out then and there.

_I'm sorry. _Tiamat said.

_Why?_

_It's my fault that you are tired. While you were resting, _he explained, _I tapped into our _Unity _to strengthen the bonds on Arama. I'm sorry I didn't tell you._

_It's okay. _Amara replied. _I got the best sleep I ever had last night. And I don't mind if it happens again. _Tiamat chuckled. _But… I'm still afraid. I don't want them to know, Tiamat._

_You aren't weak, Amara._

"What!" A shout echoed through the house and Kenny let out a sigh. "Tyson's awake now." He supplied to the Wingz Corp, when he noted the questioning looks from Reno and Ari who were sitting next to him.

"Is Amara really okay?" Rei asked, leaning closer to Michelle, his voice a whisper.

"Yeah, for now." Michelle matched his tone. "Hopefully by tomorrow she'd gotten enough sleep." She cast a glance over at her friend. The dark circles under her eyes were prominent and her skin was just a touch paler.

Max and Hillary chose that moment to appear with bedraggled Tyson following. "Why didn't you tell me sooner that the Wingz Corp was here?" He asked grudgingly pulling on his baseball cap to cover some of his disheveled hair. "Or even bother telling me that you guys were going through some drills for that matter!"

"I thought I was being kind telling the others to let you sleep for a while longer!" Hillary shouted back. "But maybe it wasn't worth it since you seem to have an interesting way of thanking me!"

"Um, guys…" Max tried to placate the two.

"Stay out of this Max!" Hillary snapped.

"Hey! Don't take it out on Max!" Tyson retorted.

Whatever Hillary was going to retaliate with was silenced when laughter interrupted them. Everyone's eyes all turned to land on the chuckling Amara. She was tightly holding her sides, unable to control her giggles. Everyone gave her a weird look. Amara? Giggling? Was the world ending? Were all probably some of the thoughts that passed through their minds.

"You two are… fighting over… the stupidest thing." She answered their unasked question to why she was laughing through snickers. "And you two are… completely oblivious to… everything!" There were only a select few who understood what Amara meant, those being Ari, Michelle, Hillary, and maybe Haru.

Hillary flushed and Ari and Michelle joined Amara in laughing. "It is true though," Ari stated to Hillary, who just went redder.

"I'm not going to ask." Tyson announced. He wasn't sure if he was ready for anything they had to say at the moment. Just the fact that Amara was full, blown-out LAUGHING and GIGGLING in front of people was enough to temporarily shut down his brain.

"We could've explained it to you, Tyson, if you had asked," Michelle remarked, "but hey, whatever floats your boat."

"But in your case, Tyson, that boat is sinking." Amara added before breaking down in another fit of laughter.

Almost everyone on the BladeBreaker team had an official brain meltdown, (save Kai, of course, but it doesn't mean he wasn't as surprised as the rest of them. He just hid it better.) Amara cracked a joke. Who was this person sitting on Tyson's porch? Regardless, almost all of them joined the Wingz Corp in laughing.

_I think I can see how and why Tiamat is Amara's guardian. _Dranzer remark.

Kai had to agree as he watched the Death Wing smile and laugh. She almost seemed carefree, but the dark circles and pallid skin gave a sharp reminder and the green eyes that seemed bright but were only masking the darkness within. _She wants everyone to think that all is fine._

Haru caught Kai's gaze. He had not joined the group and he acted as stoic as ever. _You're right, Kai. _He thought, knowing that the fellow ex-Abbey resident couldn't hear but would understand nevertheless.

Kai looked back at Amara to see her wipe a tear from the corner of her eye. Her smile then disappeared and the light went out from her eyes, leaving them haunted. She gazed down at her hand, tightening it into a fist that threatened to tear the skin of her palm. Haru stopped her by placing a hand on her shoulder.

"Hey, let's head inside to watch the battles," Rei suggested. "We can hook Dizzi up to the T.V. so everyone won't have to crowd around one small laptop."

"Smaller is better." Dizzi retorted.

"Good idea, Rei." Kenny said standing up.

"Hope we won't be intruding." Reno commented before Ari could. He shot her a knowing smirk and got elbowed in the ribs.

"Not at all!" Tyson exclaimed. "Come in!"

Rei got to his feet and held out his hand to Michelle. She smiled and took it, allowing him to pull her up. "Thanks." She said.

Haru stepped up on the deck and offered Amara a hand. She shook her head in reply. "I suppose seeing it once is enough for you," He received a nod. Glancing over at Kai, who was still waiting out side as well, he turned and walked into the house.

"I had to watch everything from Arama's eyes." Amara said suddenly once they were alone. "I could hear everything that she said and everything that she thought. It was like being trapped with your escape just barely out of reach. Your fingertips could brush against it but there was no way to grab a hold of it." She tilted her head back against the beam, staring up at the clear afternoon sky. After a moment she turned to look at Kai. "Do you know what that's like?"

"In a way," He replied.

"Heh. It's going to be a long run before this is over." Amara said more to herself as she slowly got to her feet. Kai walked over and stood next to her. "No doubt they'll want some explanation on what happened when we fought." A bitter smile found its way to her lips. "I suppose they have some right to hear the details." The two of them headed inside to join the others.

* * *

When Amara and Kai entered the living room, they saw the group seated around the T.V. They were already in the middle of Michelle's battle with Rei. At the bottom of the television screen was a small chart that showed energy readouts, the center showed the blades fighting it out, and in the top corners showed video of the opponents.

Michelle's armor was flickering to her cloak before changing back again.

"I knew _Unity _was weakening but I didn't know you could see it actually happening." Michelle said, surprised as she watched.

The screen flashed, the energy reading on Michelle jolted upward. When visibility was regained, Michelle's eyes widened. She watched in disbelief as her armor and Bahamut changed.

_Is that what really happened? _Bahamut asked, stunned.

_I don't believe it, but here's the proof right in front of me. _Michelle replied. She turned to look at the BladeBreakers. "That really did happen?"

Kenny nodded. "Sure did."

Dizzi paused the picture on Michelle and her new armor, giving her time to process everything.

A smile widened on Michelle's face. "Cool. Looks like I have something to work for besides _Perfect Unity_." She looked back and grinned at Amara. "You're not the only one with new tricks."

They moved onto Kai and Amara's battle.

Amara looked away, she couldn't watch. Kai glanced at her out of the corner of his eye as she turned her head away from the screen.

"Amara?" Max spoke up and turned to look back at her. "Is that really you?"

There it was. The question she had been dreading. Amara shook her head, not daring to make eye contact with anyone. "No. That's not me, it's Arama."

"Wait! Did you say 'Arama'?" Tyson blurted.

Amara turned to face him. "Yeah. Why?"

"Isn't that the same name that Ryld guy called her?" Tyson turned to Hillary, Max and Kenny.

"Hey! That's right!" Max exclaimed

"But it wasn't Ryld who said it, it was umm… Syn! Yeah, that's the name." Hillary added.

Amara went even more pallid then she already was. _Tiamat! _

"Amara are you all right?" Ari asked, seeing that her hands started to shake.

_Amara, calm down! He's dead! Arama killed him!_

_But what if it was him! Why didn't he recognize me! Why-_

Kai noticed the glaze look in Amara's eyes and figured that she was conversing with Tiamat, but he could also see the dark emotions of anger and anxiety flicker in their depths.

"Amara!" Michelle grabbed her by the shoulders and she immediately returned to reality and fixated a glare on Michelle. She brushed it off and removed her hands from Amara's shoulders. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine."

"If you don't want to talk about Arama, you don't have to." Rei said.

_Thank goodness that that is what they think is the problem. _Amara sighed. "Sorry. But you guys have a right to know." With that said Amara began to explain most of what she knew about Arama. Telling the BladeBreakers everything she had already told the Wingz Corp and some more stuff about what she had figured out when she had last talked with Arama.

"So, Arama is still…?" Tyson searched for the word.

"Yeah, she's still around, just under tight bonds." Amara answered. She was glad that they seemed to have forgotten the incident from a few minutes ago.

"And your memories?" Reno asked.

"They're coming back slowly. Tiamat figures it's a good idea anyway so I won't overload or anything."

"Well, we kind of got off track. But Amara, could you please explain what happened during your battle with Kai?"

Amara glanced over at Kai, "You're helping with some of the details."

"Hn,"

* * *

It was around four when the two teams left for the BBA. Over the past couple hours, many things were explained. Kai was able to use _Unity_, Tiamat was reborn inside of Kai before returning to Amara, Amara has a homicidal alter ego, and that Tyson couldn't go long without food. Before they had left, Tyson's grandpa served them a small lunch.

Entering the BBA building they ran into Mr. Dickinson.

"Hello! I was wondering if you were coming to register today." He greeted.

"Hey, Mr. D!" Tyson replied. "So where are the forms?"

Mr. Dickinson handed Max a small stack of papers. "That should be enough. I must get going now. I have a meeting to attend."

"Alright, later!" Max called after the Chairman. Handing out the papers, they headed over to a table in the waiting lobby.

Ari noticed that the BladeBreakers were only filling out one form. "Aren't any of your parents coming?" She asked, curious.

"Yeah," Kenny replied. "But they're coming separate. The only person we need a form for is Hillary."

"Oh,"

"Ari, need you to sign the bottom." Michelle called her over and handed her the pen.

"Amara, they're not going to be able to read that." Reno accused. The two were sitting on the other side of the table.

"Just sign the damn form, Reno." Amara snapped holding out her pen.

All heads turned toward the bickering redheads.

"It's too small! You need to write bigger!"

"It's not my fault if the people who read this are blind!"

"Are you accusing me of being blind?" Reno asked, crossly

"Maybe I am." Amara countered.

Michelle sighed as she had Haru sign the other form that she had filled out. "Every time…"

The BladeBreakers were confused over what was happening. "Every time what?" Rei asked.

Michelle reached across the table, grabbing the form, all the while Amara and Reno were still arguing. She squinted down at the small cursive print. "Every time Amara writes something, Reno gets on her back about it being too small. I don't blame him either." She passed the form over to Rei.

He glanced down. The writing was tiny and cursive but very neat despite it being too small to read very well. Max, Tyson, Kenny, and Hillary were all looking over his shoulder, Kai even managed to catch a glimpse from where he was standing.

"Reno!" Michelle managed to interrupt the argument and held out another form she filled out herself. "Sign."

Reno looked around for a pen and got one when Amara flicked it at his head. He scribbled his name on the bottom line and handed the paper back to Michelle. He resisted the urge to throw the pen back at Amara since Ari was giving him a knowing glare.

Max offered to run the papers over to the desk and Michelle handed him the three that they filled out.

"Is that all?" Ari asked.

"Yup." Tyson answered.

"You guys have any plans for the rest of the day?" Rei asked.

"Not that I know of." Michelle replied. "Amara?"

"As much as I would love to join the rest of you," Amara stated, "I'm heading back to HQ."

"I think we all were planning to stay with the BladeBreakers," Michelle replied. "Are you sure you don't want to stay?"

"Yeah. I just want to go back to sleep." Amara answered. She turned and started to walk away, "See you later."

"Be careful, Amara!" Ari called after her.

"Yeah, yeah." She replied, not bothering to look back, and exited the building.

"Amara left?" Max inquired, coming up to join them.

"Yeah." Michelle went quiet for a moment. "I hope we aren't imposing on you or anything like that."

"Don't worry, my Grandpa loves the company." Tyson answered.

"Hey, Kai? Are you going to stay over again?" Rei asked.

Kai shook his head in reply. "I'll see you tomorrow."

"Okay." Rei and the others watched the Captain leave.

"Does Kai live on his own?" Reno asked.

"Sort of." Tyson was the one to answer. "He has this big house, but he doesn't like staying in it much since it was his grandfather's."

"Voltaire, right?" Haru inquired.

"Yeah. It sucks now that he's back."

_Probably more than you can imagine, Tyson. _Haru thought.

"Well, let's get going." Hillary said, grabbing Tyson by the arm. "We aren't getting anything accomplished standing around here."

"I doubt we'll get anything accomplished at Tyson's either!" Max called.

They watched Hillary drag the World Champion, walking a short distance behind. Little did they know they were being watched as well.

* * *

Damian scowled seeing his old teammates walked along with the BladeBreakers. Even though they were just a cover, he kind of enjoyed Haru's company. Not so much Amara and Michelle, Ari was too sweet for his taste though he knew he couldn't trust that façade, Reno was okay in his own right just a little quick-tempered.

Even though he had trained with Haru, he had no idea that he was once a member in the Abbey. In fact he didn't know much of anything about the platinum haired blader, not many did. Except Boris, but he wasn't telling anybody anything.

Damian had planned to go after Amara after seeing her walk out of the building. Hell, even Black Dranzer was urging him to do so. But the idea was shot down was Kai came out, taking the same route as Amara. And the idea to go after them both was shot down and trampled upon when the rest came out. He couldn't risk being seen now.

_Damn. _

_We had a chance, human. _Black Dranzer growled in his mind.

_Well too bad. Looks like we'll just have to wait until the tournament. _He snapped back. _I'm heading back to the hotel before we decide to do anything that might spoil Boris' grand plan._

_I don't need your excuses. I could've taken them all out by myself._

_Let's see it then._ Damian countered. He didn't receive any reply from the corrupt phoenix. Placing his hands in his pockets he headed back to the hotel where Ryld and Syn where staying.

* * *

A/N: "Blahhh... another boring chapter... It seems that Black Dranzer and Damian don't get along that well though... I'm thinking maybe two, possibly threemore chapters of boring stuff then we get to the battles. I'm planning to have some humor coming up... Thanks for sticking with me! Those who have anyway. Oh, and the thing about Amara's handwriting... well, it's based off my own... People say it's too small... Anyway, hoped you enjoyed. Sorry if there were any mistakes, I usually miss something no matter how many times I read over it..."

Death


	22. Chapter 21

Amara didn't head straight back to the Wingz Corp Headquarters. She wandered around town before heading to where the abandoned house Michelle and her had taken residence in. That is, before Black Dranzer burned it down.

She came upon the ruins, noting that the charred debris was still there. Since no one had true possession of the property no one took the initiative to clean it up. Plus, it seemed that looters already came and salvaged anything that was worth something.

Amara walked up and stood where the door would have been, but that was gone. She kicked a piece of charred wood that crumbled on contact.

"So, who's this Syn?"

Amara spun around to see that Kai had followed her. Her eyes narrowed. "Why did you follow me?"

"Why are you avoiding the question?" He responded.

"He's no one."

Kai walked over and stood next to her. "I don't believe that."

"Back off, Kai." Amara snapped. "I thought I recognized the name but I was wrong."

"Do you believe that?"

_Amara calm down, he's trying to get a raise out of you so you would slip up and tell him. I like to call this method the 'Tyson Approach'. Get that boy mad and he'll let anything slip. _Tiamat reasoned with her.

"Stop treating me like you would Tyson, Kai." Amara stated. "I'm not going to let anything slip when you piss me off."

Kai arched an eyebrow. "Was that what I was doing?"

"Why did you follow me?" Amara repeated.

Kai didn't answer. He walked further into the burnt house, treading carefully. "Black Dranzer did all this? Or did you do some?" He inquired.

Amara scowled. "I don't know I might've done some damage. But who cares? It doesn't matter anymore this place is demolished. Can't even salvage anything from it…" She trailed off.

Kai waited for her to continue but when she didn't he turned around to face her. She was looking at her hands again, trembling slightly.

Amara was startled when she saw Kai's hands close over hers. She looked up at him, meeting his eyes. Suddenly, she pulled her hands out of his and backed away, shaking her head. "I don't want to stain your hands with the blood that covers mine."

"Amara, my hands aren't perfect either." Kai said, feeling somewhat awkward. _You are doing fine. _He heard Dranzer compliment. "They're stained as well."

Amara dropped to her knees, her face covered by her hands. "I killed them! It's my fault! I killed them!"

Kai walked over and knelt down next to her and was surprised when she clung to his shirt, burying her face in his chest. Doing the first thing that came to mind, Kai pulled her closer. He knew not what to say, but he decided he would just stay with her.

_This brings up some interesting questions. _Dranzer commented.

Kai silently agreed. He realized that Amara was beginning to relax and it seemed that she fell asleep.

_She's been through a lot and hasn't had much time to fully recover. Are you going to take her back to Wingz?_

_Yeah. _Kai responded. He carefully stood; Amara still had a tight grip on his shirt, and lifted her in his arms. Even though she was asleep, she still looked troubled. He started to make his way back to the Wingz Corp HQ.

* * *

_Arama was laughing. Laughing, mocking her, and ridiculing her, "Poor Amara. She can't get over the fact that I killed them, using her body and powers." She tested her bounds pulling against them slightly. "What will Kai think when he finds out? Oh my, what does he think now? I mean, how many break downs can you have in one day?"_

"_Shut up, Arama!" Amara shouted, covering her ears. "Just leave me alone!"_

"_Amara?" Tiamat appeared next to her, nudging her gently with his muzzle._

"_Tiamat, he must think me an idiot." Amara ran her fingers through her hair._

"_You are an idiot." Arama remarked._

_Tiamat gnashed his teeth at her, shadows gathering around him in the gray void. Pushing Arama away so they would be left in peace, he turned back to his partner. "You should just-"_

"_I can't tell him!" Amara argued._

_Tiamat sighed. "It's not doing you any good if you keep everything bottled up."_

"_I know…" Amara muttered._

"_In any case you should wake up soon." Tiamat remarked. "Kai is probably worried."_

"_Yeah…" Amara replied solemnly. The gray void started to fade before her eyes as it shifted to darkness._

* * *

Kai carefully placed Amara down on the couch, when she started to stir. Absently, he tucked back a strand of red hair from her face.

Amara brought a hand to cover her eyes, her fingertips accidentally brushing against his hand. Kai quickly recoiled his hand as her green eyes flickered opened. They stared up at the ceiling before shifting over to him. "Kai?" She rubbed her eyes before slowly sitting up.

Amara glanced around the room, not recognizing it. "Where-" She started to ask but Kai cut her off.

"At my house, I couldn't get in at your Headquarters."

"Your house…" She trailed off, looking around. The living room was grand, annexed to it was a dining room that led to an entrance hall with a staircase leading up to the second level. There was probably more to the house but that was all she could see at the moment. "Whoa… impressive."

"It was my Grandfather's but I got the rights to it after the whole incident." He explained, watching her.

Amara pulled her knees up to her chest, wrapping her arms around them as she gazed in front of her. "Kai, did you know your parents?" She turned to look at him. "Did you?"

Kai slowly shook his head. "Not really. I sort of remember them but I can't say I know them."

"I was orphaned at 7. I can't believe it's only been eight years. Seems like it should be longer." Amara replied nostalgically.

"What happened?" Kai asked kneeling next to the couch.

"They died," She answered lamely. "There was… fire. And… screams… And why in the deepest pits of hell am I telling you this?"

"Maybe sometimes you would rather have a stranger hear your words than those closest to you." Kai remarked.

A smile, a true, genuine smile appeared on Amara's lips. Though it was small, it seemed to have chased away everything for just that small moment. "Hello, stranger."

* * *

The rest of the day went by quickly and without incident. Amara and Kai parted ways; a strange understanding had formed between the two. The rest of the Wingz Corp and BladeBreakers enjoyed each other's company till late in the evening. The teams agreed to wait until they get on the plane to see each other again, giving up Sunday as a day to pack and get in last minute recuperations.

Amara slept through most of the morning, but she wasn't the only one. Haru didn't come out of his bedroom until eleven. The others found it slightly strange since Haru was usually one of the first up in the morning.

Amara emerged from her room, more alert than she was yesterday but also more irritable. Little did the others know that this irritability was because of not only Arama but Tiamat as well. The two of them bickered in the back of her mind the whole night.

_Tiamat, she's only under restraints. Arama still has the ability to bait you with words. You can't just fall for every trap she lays. _Amara sighed. _Your senseless bickering in the back of my head does nothing for my mental health._

_What health you have left. _Arama's voice was distant but still rang clear.

_Quiet! _Tiamat growled.

_Tiamat, ignore her. _Amara stepped out of her room rubbing her temples as she strengthened the blocks on the _Unity _link. Even though it blocked out Arama, it also blocked communication with Tiamat. Sacrifices must be made for one's sanity.

She walked by Michelle without any greeting and headed straight to the kitchen. It was a little after noon and her stomach was demanding food. Opening the small fridge she saw that it was practically empty except for a pitcher of juice and an apple. With a sigh, Amara grabbed the apple.

Michelle was leaning against the wall with her arms crossed. "Have a good rest?"

Amara held the apple between her teeth and walked by not bothering to answer the seemingly rhetorical question.

"I'll take that as a no." Straightening she followed Amara to the lounge. "We should probably start packing soon. Ari made up a list for supplies." Michelle pulled out a piece of paper from the pocket of her jeans and handed it to her before sitting down.

Amara bit through the apple and looked through the list thoughtfully. Her brows scrunched together in a frown as she swallowed. "Dress? Dress-shoes?"

"That's right. You were out of it when we went through the letter from Mr. Dickinson. Supposedly there's some formal banquet." Michelle stood up and looked around the room for the letter.

"Mandatory?"

"No, but Ari's making us go."

"So in other words, yes, it is mandatory. Damn." Amara grumbled.

"Want to get started on the packing?" Michelle inquired, giving up her search.

"Nothing better to do." Amara took another bite of her apple and stood up. "Where are the others anyway?"

"Out. They didn't say where they were going though."

"Whatever."

The two of them head down the hall to their rooms Amara grabbed two duffel bags, pulled out most of her clothes from the dresser and threw them into her laundry basket. Carrying her luggage across the hall to Michelle's room, she kicked open the door and strode in.

"Go ahead make yourself comfortable." Michelle remarked sardonically from her seat on the floor, articles of clothing placed in neat piles next to her. "The least you could've done was knocked."

"Why would I go and do something like that?" Amara remarked flopping down on the bed and dumping her clothes out before her. "Where's the list?"

"You still have it." Michelle replied.

Amara gave her a disgruntled look as she searched for it.

"So we're going to America." Michelle leaned back on her elbows. "What's it like there?"

Amara glanced up from the now found paper, slightly surprised by the question. "It's nothing special." She remarked callously after a moment.

"Really?" Michelle asked skeptically. "I heard that New York is suppose to be a lot like Tokyo."

"I suppose." Amara replied while shoving a t-shirt in her bag.

"You lived in New York, didn't you?" Michelle came to that conclusion. "Because you're avoiding the question. I'm right, aren't I?"

Amara sighed and placed the packing list down on the bed before her crumpled it. "Yeah, you're right. I lived in New York before coming here. I guess you can say I'm not too thrilled about going back." She snapped.

"Have relatives still alive or something?"

"No, but they'd still be surprised to see me, probably roll over in their graves." She chuckled bitterly.

Silence followed. Michelle finally opted to say something. "That's who Arama killed. Arama killed your family."

Amara looked away, and stared at the partially closed door. _Or partially opened. _She thought. _I never was the optimistic one._ "She killed my parents and my older brother."

"You had a brother?"

"_Mar, be careful!" A small smile, eyes to match Amara's. A hand held out, small and innocent, and laughter._

"Yeah," A small smile appeared, though she didn't turn to look at Michelle. "I can remember his face, though most of my memories as still repressed, I can still remember it. He was always there for me, quiet but a pillar and whenever he said something you just had to listen."

_Then, the same hand begging for help as flames grew black._

Amara's smile faded. "Then Arama broke free and killed them." She finally turned to look at Michelle and her green eyes went hard. "She killed them so in a way I killed them. That's why I never wanted to tell you or the others because I would be admitting to their murder."

Michelle sighed. "You didn't kill them, Amara, they understand that. Let go of your guilt, it's just going to continue to eat you up inside. C'mon, let's finish packing. I want to make sure we have everything packed before the evening. We have an early flight,"

Amara went to organizing her clothes in silence; the atmosphere had definitely turned to less than friendly. Michelle placed the neatly folded clothes into her bag.

The two were both startled when a knock sounded and the door was pushed all the way opened. "Michelle, Amara," Ari greeted. "May I come in?"

"Sure."

Ari smiled brightly and stepped in. "How's the packing going?"

Amara shot Michelle a warning glare and returned to her work. Michelle shook her head and checked through her clothes.

Met with silence, Ari shuffled her feet.

"Sorry, Ari," Michelle spoke up, "just a lot on our minds right now." She met with Amara's gaze, promising she wouldn't mention anything.

"Right." Ari said doubtfully before continuing. "Well, since I've already completed packing and there's nothing better to do, I figured I would help you two."

"Sure, that'd be great."

Ari strode over to the bed and started to help Amara organize her clothes. "You two need to start thinking about what kind of dress you'll be getting." She said, and noted the flinch that Amara and Michelle tried to cover up. "But I guess you already know that. We'll have to go shopping when reach New York. Maybe we can get Hillary to help."

"Over my dead body." Amara stated firmly.

"That can be arranged." Ari remarked without missing a beat.

"Point to Ari." Michelle put her two cents in.

Amara ignored their smirks and placed the now folded clothes into her bags. The three continued packing, remaining quiet for room to reflect on all that has happened.

* * *

The day ended quickly with the setting of the sun. During the night a storm rolled through, lightning flashing and the thunder rumbling in the distance,

Amara sat up in her bed, startled awake by a particular crash the rattled her shelves. Light illuminated her room, casting stark shadows. Relaxing her shields, she allowed the _Unity _link to open.

_Amara? _Tiamat ventured, hesitance evident in his voice.

_Yes? What is it?_

_Are you mad?_

Amara climbed out of her bed and headed out of her room. _What makes you think that I'm mad? _She walked down the hall and into the lounge, moving toward the back door. Opening the door, she in the threshold, leaning against the frame to watch the storm.

_I've been acting childish._

_That's for sure. _Amara remarked, watching the lightning streak across the sky. _Do you think that he's still alive?_

_I don't know. There is a chance, though. _He replied softly.

_I hope that he's still dead. _Amara remarked unexpectedly.

_Why? He's your brother._

_If he is still alive, I don't think I could face him… _Amara admitted.

_You'll have me standing behind you. Your friends; Michelle, Ari, Reno, Haru, the BladeBreakers, and Kai, they'll not doubt be there for you. _Tiamat assured.

Amara remained quiet, watching the storm pass through. She stayed there for the rest of the night.

* * *

A/N: "I'm sorry this update took me awhile and I'm sorry that this chapter is kinda short. I have the next two chapters written out and stuff so all I have to do is put them up. I don't want to put them up right away since there will be an even longer wait before I get the next chapter after those up. Do you kinda get what I'm saying? Anyway, school is coming up fast and you can bet the updates will be even less since I'm doing sports throughout the whole school year.

I'm trying to make the chapters as interesting as I can, but when I write it kinda just comes out of nowhere and falls in place with everything, so I have to write all this boring stuff before I get to the good stuff.

Thanks for reading!"

Death


	23. Chapter 22

The Wingz Corp waited outside of their headquarters for their ride to the plane. The five of them were wide-awake and alert, sitting idly on the curb with their bags stacked behind them.

"I wonder if the BladeBreakers managed to get Tyson up." Reno remarked flippantly, wearing a plain dark blue t-shirt and faded jeans.

"That boy sure has some issues." Michelle commented, her cloak was packed away in a suitcase; she was now wearing a black and silver shirt with khakis.

"Just some?" Amara inquired, her cloak was also packed and was wearing a long-sleeved green shirt that almost matched her eyes with jeans.

"You know what I mean." Michelle said.

Haru stood up, dressed in black from head to toe expect for a few silver accents, and turned to look down the still dark street. "Our rides are coming," He stated and sure enough, the headlights of a car turned the corner. The others stood up to allow the car to pull up to the curb. A moment later an identical pulled up behind the first. The cars were black with the logo of the BBA on the passenger and driver's door. The driver's stepped out of their respective vehicles and glanced at the group.

"Have everything?" one of them asked. A nametag was clipped to his dress-shirt that stated his name and company logo.

"Yeah, I think so," Ari, clothed in jeans and a white cameo beneath a gold shirt that hung off her shoulders, answered, "Shane." Catching the driver's name on the tag.

The drivers were young, both blond with glasses and ironically both named Shane.

"Girls in the first car, boys in the second." Said the second Shane after closing the trunk to his car.

The first held the door open for Amara. She didn't budge, giving him a small glare, but finally moved when Ari elbowed her. Amara rolled her eyes and stepped in with Ari and Michelle following. After a moment of brief conversation between the two Shanes about the quickest route when everything and everyone were in the cars, they climbed into their respective vehicles.

"It's a twenty minute ride to the airport." He explained, buckling his seat belt and starting the car, to the three girls.

Ari, sitting between the taller Amara and Michelle, gave him a polite smile. "Thank you."

Amara rested her cheek against her hand with her elbow propped up against the window. She gazed out the window at the passing houses as she ignored the idle chitchat that was going on around her.

"Michelle, have you ever been on a plane?" Ari asked.

Michelle shook her head. "Not that I know of. I might've when I was little."

"What about you, Amara?" Ari turned to her.

"Yeah, once." She remarked absentmindedly "wasn't the greatest experience." She continued to stare out the window.

Ari waited for her to elaborate, but didn't receive any explanation.

Michelle decided to answer for her. "Amara stowed away on a plane going from America to here. Most of the details were spared."

"It's not my fault they didn't catch me. They were just too incompetent. If they had better security I would've never gotten on and probably would've never met you guys." Amara stated, still avoiding eye contact.

"Amara you do love us!" Ari exclaimed. "You're actually thankful that you decided to hitch a ride!"

"All in a matter of opinion." Amara retorted coldly.

"Someone's vicious today." Michelle commented. "Not enough sleep?"

"Michelle, drop it." Amara turned away from the window and shot Michelle a glare over Ari. Michelle met it with one of her own.

Ari sighed. "If you guys plan to have a silent war, I suggest you do it elsewhere instead of over my head."

Amara was the first to break eye contact and returned to staring out her window. Michelle let out a sigh also turning away to look out the window.

The rest of the ride was made in silence; even Shane the driver respected that fact. The only time he spoke up was when they reached the airport. "We're here ladies." He said as he pulled into the airfield. He didn't stop until he pulled up along side a jet with the BBA logo. "Head right on in and my partner and I will bring your luggage aboard."

Amara stepped out of the car and headed towards the jet. She stood at the bottom of the steps waiting for the others. The second car pulled up behind the first and the two boys climbed out.

Ari ran over to Reno and practically tackled the redhead. "We're going on a jet to America!" She exclaimed, hugging him. "This is so exciting!"

Reno flushed deeply that his face almost matched his hair. The two Shanes stopped their unloading to chuckle at the couple. Haru stood by, a ghost of a smirk upon his face.

Amara shook her head and climbed up the stairs. Entering the jet, she glanced around. It was rather spacious inside. A number of seats towards the front with a television, some of the chairs were facing each other and in the back were a table and seats along one side of it. Across from the table was something that resembled a couch. An aisle ran the middle of the plane to the door were the cockpit was.

The cockpit door opened and the pilot stepped out. He looked rather young and had a, in Amara's opinion, goofy smile. "Howdy, miss. Make yourself comfortable we'll be taking off as soon as the BladeBreakers get here and get their luggage loaded."

Amara noted a Southern accent, though it was hard to detect. But then again the whole 'howdy' thing was a dead giveaway.

Michelle and Haru climbed in next, getting the same greeting from the pilot. They watched the pilot head down the stairs to help the two drivers load. "Roomy." Michelle remarked, plopping down on the couch. Haru walked the length of the jet, examining everything.

"Where are Reno and Ari?" Amara asked, sitting down in one of the chairs the faced away from the TV.

"They're waiting for the BladeBreakers." Michelle replied, gazing out one of the windows.

It ended up being thirty more minutes before the BladeBreakers arrived. Kai stepped out of the first car that pulled up, Rei and Max followed him out. Michelle figured it was a good thing that Tyson rode in the other car, lest he fell asleep against Rei or God forbid, Kai. She could only imagine what the captain would have done.

Tyson in fact stumbled out of the second car, pushed by Hillary. Kenny climbed out the other side, holding his laptop close to his chest.

"Good morning!" Ari called.

"Hey Ari, Reno!" Max replied. "How long have you been here?"

"A half hour." Amara remarked from the open door of the jet, a scowl set on her face. "We were supposed to leave fifteen minutes ago."

"It's to be expected, Amara." Reno stated.

Amara rolled her eyes before disappearing back into the plane.

"She's been testy all morning, don't mind her." Ari commented.

"I don't think 'testy' would be the right word for it, Ari." Reno added. Ari nudged him in the side.

"So tired…" Tyson groaned as he staggered to the jet. Kai, Rei and Kenny had already climbed on.

"Come on, Tyson. Once you get inside you can go back to sleep." Hillary suggested.

Once everyone and everything was loaded, the pilot started the engines and soon they were on their way to America and the first tournament of the Championships.

-------

Amara remained in a bad mood for most of the trip. She almost went out on her threat of bodily harm to Tyson who kept on complaining about being hungry and tired. Luckily Haru was there to intervene before blood was shed. However, Tyson did keep his complaints to a minimum after that.

Kenny was sitting on at the table in the back with Max next to him. They were conversing with Dizzi about something. Reno sat on the couch; Ari was asleep with her head on his lap. Rei and Michelle sat across from each other both of them reading a book. Tyson and Hillary were arguing over what to watch on the television, before Haru came over and took the remote and turned it to the Sports' Network. Finally, Kai and Amara sat across from each other. Kai stared out the window in thought while Amara sat with her arms folded over her chest and eyes closed.

"Hey, is she asleep?" Tyson asked as he walked by to talk with Kenny.

"Tyson, don't do anything that you'll regret later." Michelle warned not even looking up from her book.

Whatever he was planning was foiled when he turned back and saw a pair of dark green eyes glaring up at him.

_Was that a flicker of amber? _Tyson jumped back.

"Just what were you planning?" Amara asked coldly.

"N-nothing." Tyson stuttered, quickly headed back to the table to join Max and Kenny, who had glanced up to see what was transpiring.

Amara let out a scoff. She turned away, her eyes meeting Kai's before they moved to gaze out the window.

Rei put down his book and watched Michelle. She finally put down her back as well. "What's up, Rei?" She asked.

"I'm just thinking about BioVolt. What are they trying to do?" Rei shook his head. "I'm sure they're still trying to take over the world and everything, but I can't help but think that there's more."

"There probably is." Michelle answered. "But no doubt that they're goal is world domination. All bad guys think the same way. It's either complete domination or complete destruction. Lucky for us that it's not the latter."

"For all we know it could still be." Rei remarked. "Who knows what they're thinking."

"In any case, it's going to be kind of weird. If you think about it, we're basically battling together and not against each other, well at least not until the Final Championship. We're both representing Japan." Michelle said.

"Well, we still have a few more hours to go. How long do you think before someone gets hurt?" Rei asked, lowering his voice with a whisper.

"With Amara the way she is right now, I'll say before we land." Michelle joked.

---------

Amara heard the whispered conversation between Michelle and Rei. She let out a sigh and closed her eyes.

_She does have a point, Amara. _Tiamat commented.

_Tiamat…_ Amara ground out.

_Why are you in such a bad mood? _The dragon ventured.

_No comment. _She retorted.

_C'mon, _Tiamat whined, _you can tell me._

_Leave it alone…_

_Tell me!_

Amara sent him a mumbled reply.

_What was that? _Tiamat pressed.

_I hate flying…_

Tiamat took that time to burst out laughing.

---------

The group was slightly surprised to hear the pilot's voice over the intercom saying that they were about a half hour away from San Francisco. He then continued to explain how the jet was one of the new models, a hybrid if you would, that took less time and less fuel to get to your destination.

Max and Tyson were practically bouncing off the walls of the plane with excitement with Kenny not too far behind.

"We'll be stopping in San Francisco for about an hour. We need to refuel and no doubt you kids want to stretch out your legs for a bit around the airport. It's almost 3:00, so be back to the jet at 3:50 and no later." The pilot warned.

"Hear that Tyson?" Reno taunted good-naturedly. "Don't be late, if you don't want to be left behind."

"Reno, be nice." Ari chided.

"Don't worry about me, Reno," Tyson replied.

"Worry about the restaurants that he's going to raid." Max commented.

Michelle chuckled at their playful banter and she found that even Haru had managed a faint smirk of amusement.

Hillary let out an exasperated sigh, mumbling something about "boys…" under her breath.

"Hillary? Would you like to wander around the airport with me?" Ari asked. "Since it seems that Reno and the boys will be raiding the food court."

"Sure."

"Michelle and Amara, you can join us as well." Ari added.

"Sorry, but I think we'll have to decline." Michelle answered for the both of them.

Once the jet landed and they were allowed off, the two team split up into four groups; Reno, Tyson, Max and Kenny went off to the food court, Ari and Hillary went to wander the stores, Haru went with Rei and Kai, while Amara and Michelle went off on their own.

----------

"So, what's up?" Michelle asked as the two weaved through the people. "What's been bugging you?"

"Does it matter?" Amara countered.

"Yeah, it does. Especially when you practically kill Tyson." Michelle said.

"He had it coming." The Death Wing remarked.

"How so?"

Amara didn't reply.

"Well?"

"God, you're just like Tiamat…"

"What's that suppose to mean?"

_I think she means that Tiamat was pressing her about the same matter. _Bahamut remarked

_Do you think that you can find out from Tiamat? _Michelle inquired.

_I'll try._

Amara noticed that Michelle was conversing with Bahamut, when Tiamat interrupted her own thoughts.

_Bahmut is trying to communicate with me. _Tiamat said, a hint of amusement in his voice.

_And?_

_He wants to know if I know anything about what is wrong with you. _Tiamat replied.

That's where the amusement was. _Did you tell him? _Amara asked.

_Not yet…_

_Say anything I'll eviscerate you. _Amara replied in all seriousness.

_Too late…_

Michelle started laughing, drawing glances from the crowd. "That's why you were going to maim Tyson? Because you're afraid of flying?"

"I'm not afraid." Amara remarked, indignant. "I just hate it. You try stowing away on a plane when you were seven and coming all the way to Japan."

"Well, then again, it was Tyson's fault for being annoying." The two of them shared a small smirk at that. "Is that the only thing that was bugging you?"

"For right now." Amara answered.

"Getting anxious about returning home?" Michelle turned to look at her friend.

"Yeah."

----------

Rei walked between Haru and Kai in silence. Normally he didn't mind being around the silent types, but the silence between the three of them was just awkward. He let out a small sigh.

Haru, sensing the owner of the white tiger's uneasiness, decided to speak up. "Do you think your old team will be a part of this tournament, Rei?"

"More than likely." Rei answered then paused. "Oh, no…" He groaned.

Haru blinked slightly in confusion. "What?"

"Mariah. She'll be there."

"Who's-?" Haru started but was cut off.

"A girl who is obsessed with Rei." Kai said.

"I'll feel sorry for her once she meets Michelle." Haru remarked. Rei ended up blushing.

----------

Ari and Hillary walked into a few stores around the airport, browsing through random souvenirs. "So, how are things going with Tyson?" Ari asked.

Hillary flushed as she ducked behind the postcard stand. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Denial, denial." Ari said in singsong. "If you need help you can allows come to me, you know." She gave a chuckle and the two started to head back to the plane.

----------

In the food court Reno learned what happens when Tyson has money and many suppliers of food. What he learned; every food stop must be visited, whether or not he got something (which was rarely the case).

"Don't you think you have enough?" Reno asked, glancing warily at the tray, which was filled with food, balancing precariously.

Tyson shrugged, the one of the wrapped goods almost teetered off. "Can never have enough." Despite being known as a clumsy person, Tyson surprised Reno that he had managed not to drop a single thing.

"Tyson is legendary with his never-ending appetite," Max remarked.

Kenny chose that moment to let out a startled gasp. He surprised Tyson, which resulted in him tripping over his own feet and successfully dumping the contents of the tray upon Reno.

"What's wrong, Chief?" Max asked, worry apparent.

Kenny let out a groan. "I left Dizzi on the plane…"

Max, Tyson, who was climbing to his feet, and Reno, who stood disgruntled with the front of his blue shirt a mess, gave each other a look before sharing a laugh.

-------------

Back on the plane, ten minutes before everyone was to return, Dizzi gave a feeble plea. "Chief, you can come and get me anytime… Haha, funny joke, I'm sure everyone managed to get a laugh out of it, so you can come and get me… Chief? Kenny? Anyone?"

-----------

Everyone managed to make it back to the plane on time. Kenny ran straight to the table where he had left Dizzi and immediately hugged the laptop to his chest mumbling apologies.

Amara seemed to be in a better mood and at her expense Michelle was in an even better mood.

When Rei asked her why she was so amused, Michelle answered, "Amara's-" she started but soon had said person's hand clapped over her mouth.

"Not another word, Michelle," Amara warned.

Within a few minutes they were off and on their way to New York.

Amara's good mood diminished, as they get closer to their destination. She became anxious and restless, pacing up and down the aisle of the jet.

She drew looks from everyone, but no one dared ask what was wrong for fear that she might take out her anxiousness on them, no one wanted to see what that would result in.

"Amara sit down." Haru finally spoke up after Amara's third pass.

It was only then that she seemed to realize that she had been pacing. Collapsing into the nearest seat, Amara let out a sigh.

Kai watched the Death Wing out of the corner of his eye, wondering what was wrong. Before he could dwell on it much longer the pilot announced that they were about twenty minutes to New York airport.

Soon everyone else was restless with excitement, especially Tyson and Max. Hillary was trying to calm the two boys down, but she didn't do much of anything after Ari caught her gaze and gave her a knowing smirk.

Once they landed, the pilot made one more announcement. "I hope you enjoyed the flight. There are two limos waiting just outside for you and they will take you to your hotel. Good luck in the tournaments, I'll be rooting for ya. Over and out."

The two teams exited the plane and decided it would be best that they split up, lest they wanted another Amara/Tyson incident. The BladeBreakers and their luggage went in the first limo while the Wingz Corp and their luggage went into the second.

"Wow, this limo is sure spacious." Hillary said, mouth agape, looking around the interior of the car.

"You would have never guess it had this much room looking at it from the outside." Kenny evaluated.

"So cool! So cool! So cool!" Tyson bounced on the cushions.

"Tyson, calm down." Rei reprimanded. He could feel a tension headache coming on.

"New York hasn't really changed since we last been here." Max remarked gazing out the window.

"Is your mom going to be around, Max?" Tyson asked.

Max gave a small shrug. "I don't know. She'll probably come and watch, but I don't know if the All-Starz are taking part."

"They're pretty good." Kenny stated. "So, we'll probably see them."

"I can't wait to battle Michael again." Tyson remarked.

Kai barely paid attention to the conversation going on around him. His mind was still going over the trip. _What was putting Amara on the edge?_

_Probably something she won't easily reveal. _Dranzer remarked, she sounded faintly amused. _But who knows, she might just open up to you._

_What is that supposed to mean? _Kai shot back.

_Amara seems to open up just a bit more around you, Michelle, and Haru. _The phoenix continued. _She must trust you more than you think._

Kai thought on that for the rest of the trip.

------------

"So this is New York!" Ari rolled down the windows and leaned out. "Wow… It's a lot like Tokyo, but more… American!"

Reno chuckled and pulled her back from the window and into his lap. "Angel, it is America."

"Get a room, lovebirds." Michelle chuckled. She smiled seeing the two blush as Ari slid off the Hell Wing's lap.

Amara and Haru sat next to each other in silence. Comfortable, but silence nonetheless. Michelle watched the two out of the corner of her eye; she wasn't sure what to think but she felt that there was something between the two. What that was, she didn't have any idea.

_Tomorrow, Tiamat, I'm going to go visit them._

_Are you sure, Amara?_

_Yeah… Arama has been quiet. _Amara noted with concern.

_She's still bounded. _Tiamat answered. _Maybe she accepted her fate._

_I doubt that. She's planning something._

"Amara." Michelle broke her away from her thoughts. "We're here."

-----------

The teams stepped out of their rides and gazed up at the hotel. The Starly Hotels were a new chain of hotels but were very popular with those who could afford it. Many celebrities tried out their suites and enjoyed them immensely. The building was five stories high; on the ground floor they boasted three pools and a Jacuzzi, sauna, game room, training room, and dining hall, the second and third floors were made up of the regular rooms, while the fourth and fifth held the suites, though the fifth was slightly more expensive.

It ended up that the two teams were on the fifth floor and that they weren't the only ones staying at this hotel. However they didn't find this out until later.

Mr. Dickinson had arranged it so the rooms would be next to each other, if you call be further down the hall next to each other. He also made it so that the girls of both teams would share one room and the boys the other.

Michelle, Amara, Ari and Hillary stepped into their suite. Their suitcases had already been brought up and were placed in what could be considered the living room. Upon entering the suite the living room branched off to the left, right and center. To the right was the kitchen and dining room in one, the right was a walk-in closet and bathroom, and in front was where the bedroom was positioned.

"One bedroom for the four of us?" Ari asked.

Amara walked up to the closed door and pushed it open. The bedroom had two queen-sized beds next to each other with a dresser and television on the other side.

"Looks like we'll have to share the beds." Michelle stated.

"I wonder if the boys are in the same predicament." Ari commented.

"If they are, who cares?" Amara put in.

Ari ignored Amara and noted that Hillary was rather quiet. "Hillary, if you are uncomfortable sharing a bed, I could sleep on the couch in the living room and let you have the bed."

Hillary gave a start. "No, it's not that! I'm okay with sharing a bed, I just have a lot on my mind."

"If you're sure."

"Hey, Michelle." Amara turned to the other redhead.

"What?"

"I call door side."

"What! No fair!" Michelle mock pouted.

"Too bad."

"What's so special about being closest to the door?" Hillary whispered to Ari.

"Makes it easier to sneak out without being noticed." Ari replied with a chuckle.

Overhearing Ari's comment, Amara turned to face them and replied. "Damn right." She wore a diminutive smirk that seemed to be laughing at a private joke. Michelle was also in on that joke.

"It has something to deal back when they were younger, Hillary," Ari explained. "That's the reason they've always told us. Enough about that, let's go see how the boys are settling in."

"Okay." Hillary agreed and the Angel Wing off led her to the guy's suite, leaving Amara and Michelle alone.

Amara sat down on the bed. "I'm going to go wander around tomorrow. So, I might not be back until later."

"Another reason you wanted door side. So it would be easier to sneak back in as well." Michelle remarked. "Where are you going?"

"I might show you later."

Michelle let out a sigh. "Not this again, Amara. Stop being vague and just tell me for once what's going through your mind."

"Michelle, you don't want to know what's going through my mind. Hell, half the time I don't want to know either." Amara retorted.

"God, Amara, stop acting so jaded!" Michelle crossed her arms over her chest. "You act like everything is your fault."

"Most of the stuff is, Michelle." She countered. Before Michelle could retort, Amara kicked off her shoes and laid back on the bed, putting her back to her. "I'm going to get a little more sleep." She said with an 'end of subject' tone.

Michelle sighed but turned on her heel and shut the bedroom door behind her.

-----------

It turned out that the guy's were sort of in the same predicament; it's just that only two of them would have to share a bed. Kenny and Max decided to take the bed; Haru said he would sleep in one of the reclining chairs while Kai took the couch. Instead of a dresser and TV in the bedroom, the boys got an extra single bed along with the other two in the room; Tyson, Rei and Reno took those as their own.

Hillary and Ari wandered about their suite, noting the slight differences. It was then that Ari stated that they should agree on a day when they would go out and get their clothes for the banquet coming up later that week. It was met with begrudging agreement, since Tyson, being the reigning World Champion, was obligated to go. Misery loves company anyone?

Everyone took the elevator down to the dining hall, except Amara, for dinner, since no one felt like making the attempt to cook.

After finishing the meal, they all went back to their rooms and rested for the remainder of the evening and night.

--------------

A/N: "Another chapter done! This one seems like it's a little longer than the previous one, mostly because I had no idea were to stop it. Sorry if there are any mistakes. So, for a little time frame of where I'm going with this, the next 2 to 3 chapters will mostly be character development and bonding, blah, blah, blah, and all that jazz. The next chapter is basically written, but I just have to do somethings with it... So, hope you enjoyed!"

Death


	24. Chapter 23

Amara's eyes snapped open as she woke in a cold sweat. Glancing at the bedside clock to confirm her guess of it being early in the morning, as in two in the morning early.

_Poor, poor Amara lost all her family. Watched as she saw her own hands stained so prettily. _Arama taunted. _Red is such a good color on you, to symbolize all that you will lose. No matter what you try, I will always come back, I will survive._

_Did you make that up yourself? _Amara snapped back.

_Does it annoy- that you suspect me of some ploy? _Arama chuckled, continuing her rhyme, knowing that it would just piss Amara off._ Enjoyed the dream I sent you? Because I sure did._

_I figured as much._

_Remember, Amara, there are times when even you drop your barriers, granting me all I need to escape._

_Are you warning me? _Amara asked surprised.

_No, just telling you what's to come. _Arama replied.

_We shall see. _Amara pushed Arama to the back of her mind, noting that it seemed to take more effort than before. "She's growing stronger." She whispered aloud. Realizing that, she made sure that Michelle was still sleeping. Satisfied with the deep rhythm of Michelle's breathing, Amara carefully climbed out of the bed and walked into the living room, closing the door behind her.

_Tiamat? _She inquired, pacing about the living room in her tank and shorts.

_Amara, is everything all right? I heard your conversation with Arama. _The dragon growled.

_I'm fine, for now. But, I think that Arama's getting stronger. _Amara shuddered involuntarily. She didn't know if it was because of the cool room or something else.

_It is likely that she is. _Tiamat replied solemnly.

_I need to talk to Haru._

_Why not Mich-?_

_Haru understands things a little better than the rest of us. He might be able to give a few ideas on how to restrain Arama. _Amara explained.

_But don't you think that telling Michelle as well might- _Tiamat tried again but was cut off.

_I can't tell her, I don't want her to worry._

_She'll worry either way. _Tiamat reasoned.

_I know… But this way, she won't worry as much._

_If you believe so, Amara._

Amara bit her lip at her partner's words as she found herself in the hallway, heading to the guy's suite.

---------

Haru sat up at the light tapping on the door. Kai was also awake at the sound as well. Years at the Abbey can do that to people. Haru silently got to his feet and walked over to the door and opened it to see Amara standing in the hall wearing her normal pajamas of shorts and a tank top.

"Amara? What's wrong?" Haru asked, noticing the nervous air about her.

"Haru, I-" She stopped, catching sight of Kai who was standing next to the couch. Her initial response was to blush, since he was clad in only a pair of sweatpants, but she managed to beat down that impulse and kill it, successfully keeping her face from lighting up.

"What's wrong?" Haru pressed.

Amara returned her attention to him. She didn't want Kai to hear as well but still she answered, "I think Arama is growing stronger, in fact, I'm sure of it."

Haru fully opened the door and gestured her into the room. "How do you know?"

Amara glanced up at him. "It's getting harder for me to block her and," she glanced over at Kai as well, "she's growing cocky. If that isn't a sure sign, I don't know what is."

"Amara, you should probably head back and try to sleep." Haru reasoned.

"I don't think I'll be able to."

"Is there something else?" This time Kai asked. He didn't like the idea of Arama coming back, not one bit.

"She gave me a warning." Amara said slowly and then quoted, "'There are times when even you drop your barriers.' She said. There are a number of barriers that she could mean."

"Or all of them." Haru stated

Amara didn't like that thought one bit.

-------------

The first thing Michelle noticed when she woke up was the empty half of the bed. The bedside clock read 6:30am when she glanced at it when leaving the room. The living room was empty, not surprising. The coffee table did have an out of place piece of paper set on it though.

Michelle walked over and squinted at the small print. She let out a sigh. "A little early for a graveyard stroll, don't you think, Amara?" She asked aloud, even though Amara wasn't there to hear her.

She was a little annoyed by the fact that she didn't even notice when Amara got up, whenever that was. In any case, Michelle went about starting breakfast for the other occupants.

_What a wonderful way to start off the day, _Michelle thought sarcastically.

_Amara already causing trouble? _Bahamut asked bemused.

_Unfortunately. _Michelle replied. _But at least she has a good reason for it._ She glanced up when she heard a knock at the door. She walked over and unlocked it to see Haru and Reno standing out in the hall.

"Is that coffee I smell?" Reno asked, strolling past Michelle.

"Not the greatest brand, but what can you expect from a hotel." Michelle answered. "Just keep it down, Ari and Hillary are still asleep."

Reno cocked an eyebrow. "Ari's still asleep? She's usually up by now." He walked over to the coffee maker, grabbed a cup and poured himself a glass.

Michelle shrugged leaning back against the counter. "Maybe it's because of all the excitement." She reasoned.

"Where's Amara?" Haru asked and got his answer when Michelle handed him a piece of paper. He skimmed through the note.

"What's up?" Reno took a sip from his cup.

Haru set down the paper next to the sink. "Amara's visiting her parents' graves. Or at least going to find where they're buried."

"Oh, I didn't think that she knew her parents. Hope she's able to find them. But don't you think she left a little early?" Reno commented.

"Probably couldn't sleep." Haru supplied.

Michelle narrowed her eyes, studying Haru. She put on a scowl. "You're hiding something."

"I won't deny anything, but I won't tell you anything either." Haru remarked. "I would like to remain in Amara's confidence."

Reno sighed and decided it would be best to change the subject. "Well, what are our plans for today?"

"No idea." Michelle answered. "Explore New York, stay here and use the pool and other recreational facilities, hang out with the BladeBreakers, or whatever." She suggested.

"I think the BladeBreakers are planning to do some training today, well, that's what Kenny told me." Reno stated.

"We could always use the training," Michelle said with a smirk.

-----------

The BladeBreakers training did indeed start that morning, but since Tyson didn't get up until 11:00 it was the afternoon before they did anything. First on the agenda was a light jog to get warmed up. With their routes all mapped out the four BladeBreakers went their different ways.

Max was familiar with most of the area since his mom lived in New York. He wondered if he should go visit her, maybe take along the Wingz Corp. His jog took him down a more scenic part of New York, if a cemetery was what you called scenic. At least it was peaceful.

Was that Amara?

Max slowed to a stop. It was Amara, wearing her cloak with the hood down. She stood in front of few stone markers that were placed underneath the shade of a tree. He crept behind another tree that was nearby. He wasn't close enough to hear anything but he stayed put since he didn't want to get caught.

----------

Amara looked down at the grave markers. Grass and leaves covered the stone and the flowers nearby were long withered. She chuckled bitterly. "It's been awhile…"

She knelt down and brushed off the stone. "Hey Mom, Dad. Surprised to see me?" She paused, almost expecting a reply. "Yeah, I would be surprised too. Have you rolled over in shock yet?" She asked sarcastically.

Amara crawled over to the two slabs next to the one that marked her parents. She brushed off those ones as well. "I guess I've got a spot saved for when I go, huh?" She turned back to her parents'. "I think Syn is still alive. I haven't seen him yet, but who else could it be? But you probably know that all ready since he's not there with you guys."

Amara went quiet, tracing her mother's name. "Sorry I wasn't here for the burial but I had a plane to catch and I didn't want to scare anyone by coming back from the dead. And I guess I'm sorry it took me so long to find you guys.

"Things aren't going too well. If only you were still here maybe it would be easier to explain. I remember, Dad, that you told me that you wanted to hear everything I had to say. Who I met today? What did I do? Did anything interesting happen? I never got the chance to answer those questions.

"So many things have happened, so many people I have met… so many things I have done…" Amara brushed back her hair. "You would have liked Michelle, in fact you would have like all of the Wingz Corp, and even the BladeBreakers." She paused, her voice shifting into a whisper. "Kai…"

Getting to her feet, she looked down at the headstones. "I'm sorry for everything. It's my fault that you're dead even if it was Arama that killed you. I'll visit again before I leave America, I might bring Michelle along too. I promise."

Amara pulled the hood of her cloak over her face and went on her way, not looking back. She was intent on keeping her promise.

-------

Max waited until he was sure that Amara was out of range to see or hear anything. He walked over to where she had stood and gazed at the cleared markers.

The first one was a larger stone that has two names on it:

James S & Arisa M

Rafe

"Loving Parents and Caring Friends"

Max turned to the next tablet:

Syneon T Rafe

Son

"Gone But Still With Us"

"Syneon? Is he the same one who was with that Ryld?" He asked aloud before looking at the final stone. He felt like his eyes were about to bulge out of their sockets from what he read:

Amara L Rafe

Daughter

"Lost But Not Forgotten"

"Amara, what does this mean?" Max looked back where he last saw Amara. "Why are you hiding all of this?" Glancing one more time at the markers, he took off at a run. He had to tell the others what he found. He just hoped that Amara would not find out that he had watched her.

----------

The BladeBreakers were waiting in the hotel lobby for Max's return. Kenny was beginning to grow worry since even Tyson managed to make it back before the blond blader. "Where is he?" The boy fretted, tugging at his hair in worry, disheveling his goggles. "He should be back! Oh, where is he? I hope he's alright…"

"He'll show up." Hillary and Tyson assured him.

"You can stop worrying," Rei commented, looking over at the entrance.

Max burst through the revolving doors, panting with his hands resting on his knees. He glanced up through his sweaty bangs and made his way over to his team. "Guys! You won't believe what I saw!"

"What?" Tyson piped up. "What happened?"

Kai listened with indifference as his team anxiously waited for Max to catch his breath.

"When I was running," Max explained, "I ran by the cemetery and I saw-" He closed his mouth with a shut.

"What?" Everyone but Kai pressed.

"Umm, hi Amara, Michelle." Max put on a disarming smile and the BladeBreakers turned to see the two girls. "What are you up to?"

Michelle was wearing a dark blue swimsuit top with a pair of jean shorts covering the bottom. Amara was standing next to her in a red top with a pair of mesh shorts covering the bottom piece of her swimsuit, tucked under her arm was a volleyball that had the hotel's logo on it.

"We're going to enjoy the pool, what else does it look like?" Amara commented.

"Did we interrupt something?" Michelle asked noting the awkward silence.

Rei found himself at a loss for words, he finally snapped out of his daze when Michelle cocked her head to the side with an inquisitive look. He gave his head a small shake. "No, we were just deciding what we were going to do for the rest of the day. Right, guys?"

"Right!" Tyson, Max, Kenny, and Hillary chorused.

Amara and Michelle glanced at each other that blatantly said they did not believe what the BladeBreakers were saying "Well, we'll be in the pool if you want to join us. Amara wants to start a volleyball game."

A wicked smirk curled up Amara's lips. "Join at your own risk." She turned around and continued to the pool.

Kai watched Amara leave, the back of her swimsuit top dipped below her shoulder blades and two stripes parallel to each other were a sharp reminder to everything that had happened so far.

Feeling someone's eyes one her, Amara glanced over her shoulder. Their gazes met before she looked back over at Michelle who was following her just to avoid Kai's eyes.

"I wonder if anyone will ever want to play us again once we defeat them," Michelle joked, grabbing the volleyball away from Amara.

Amara playfully shoved Michelle. "I doubt any of them will still be conscious when we're through." The two of them disappeared around the corner, taking the hall that leads to the pool.

Tyson turned back to Max. "What were you saying?"

Max shuffled his feet. "Can we wait until tonight for me to tell you guys?" His team gave him a look. "It's kinda awkward…" He trailed off.

Sensing Max's unease, Rei spoke up. "Alright, Max."

"Let's join Amara and Michelle in the pool!" Tyson suddenly suggested. "Playing volleyball sounds like fun!"

"Do you even know how to play, Tyson?" Hillary inquired.

"No, but I'm sure it can't be that hard." Tyson retorted.

"I wouldn't count on it." Kai mumbled.

----------

Fifteen minutes later found the BladeBreakers in their own swimsuits down at the pool. Michelle and Amara were in the water passing the volleyball back and forth over the net.

"Hey guys!" Max waved. "You look like you're having fun." He stood at the edge of the water in his blue and yellow swim trunks.

"We were." Amara replied.

"Until everyone left because they didn't want to play anymore." Michelle continued.

"They said we were too competitive." Amara added.

Tyson took that moment to run by and jump into the pool, effectively covering Amara with water. When he surfaced he noted that Amara was glaring at him, her wet hair plastered to her face.

"Michelle, give me the volleyball. I need to teach Tyson a lesson." Amara stated, deadpanned.

And so two and a half hours passed by. Haru, Reno and Ari decided to join them and the group found themselves in a (very) competitive game of volleyball.

Teams were as such- Amara, Michelle, Max, Haru, and Kenny versus Kai, Rei, Tyson, Reno, Ari, and Hillary (they were given the extra player since, as Amara put it, they had "a handicap with Tyson on their team.")

In short, the game was vicious. They soon had to vacate the pool since with the perfect set by Michelle and a well-placed spike by Amara, Amara did indeed teach Tyson the lesson she had promised. Who ever knew that a bloody nose could be so, well, bloody?

The rest of the day went by quickly. Dinner was uneventful, even with Tyson trying to clean out the hotel's kitchen.

The BladeBreakers headed back to the their room with Hillary in tow only to find Reno and Haru lounging around the TV.

"Uh, could you guys… umm…" Kenny stuttered.

Haru stood up and turned to Reno. "I think the BladeBreakers want to have a team meeting. Michelle, Amara and Ari are in their room right?" Haru asked Hillary and she nodded in reply.

Reno stood up and stretched. "Well, I guess that means we'll have our own team meeting. We'll probably finish before you guys anyway, so we'll probably hang with them if you need to find us." With a grin, Reno draped his arm across Haru's shoulder and pulled him out of the room. Haru accepted it stoically.

Tyson ran to the door, peered out of it to make sure that Reno and Haru were gone and closed it. "Okay, Max, spill."

-----------

Damian glared at the blader leaning against the wall on the other side of the small training room. He turned to Ryld and Syneon who were behind him. "I still want to know how you managed to get him to go along with this."

Ryld smirked and shrugged his shoulders. "Boris pulled a few strings, twisted a few arms, shot a few people."

"Ryld…" Damian ground out, seeing that the raven-haired boy wasn't going to give him a straight answer.

"Just be happy that you got a competent partner." Syn remarked with the slightest roll of his eyes.

"Syn, did you just make a joke at my expense?" Ryld asked before dramatically putting a hand over his heart and acting faint. "Miracles do happen!"

"It would be more of a miracle if you shut up." Syn effectively returned his attention to Damian before Ryld could make another smart-ass comment. "If there's any insubordination problems, let us know."

Damian nodded slowly, momentarily caught in Syn's gaze. _I still can't help but see Amara in his eyes. It's almost like being back at Wingz and Amara reprimanding me for something. _"I will Syn." He said aloud. He walked over and stood in front of his new partner.

He wore a white, blue, and orange jumpsuit that had a high collar, and didn't seem all that formidable. Lanky but definitely all muscle, or else he would have never made it through the Abbey. His red hair and eyes the color of blue ice brought memories of another redhead to Damian.

"Well met, Tala."

Tala scowled at him. "You don't want to be partners just as much as I do." He remarked a Russian accent laced his words.

"Like it or not, we're stuck together." Damian snapped.

"Aw, look Syn, they're already making friends with each other." Ryld commented.

"Ryld, shut up." Echoed through the room.

Ryld just laughed, his eyes narrowed in a sly gaze and a smirk gracing his lips. "Well, Syn and I have a bit beast that needs to be acquired, so we'll be working on that if you need us. Play nice." He sauntered out of the room.

Syn let out the smallest of sighs and followed.

Once they left, Damian pulled out his blade with the icon of Black Dranzer. "Well, Tala, let's see how much work we have to do."

-----------

"So, while I was doing my run this morning, I took a route that led through the cemetery." Max explained. The team was sitting in the living room of the suite. Kai sat in the chair that Haru had slept in, Kenny sat in the other one on the other side of the coffee table with his laptop, Max was positioned between Rei and Hillary on the couch as Tyson lounged on the floor.

"Why would you go through the cemetery?" Hillary cut in.

"A lot of people go through cemeteries," Kenny commented. "There's a sense of calm walking through a cemetery during the day."

"A morbid sense of calm, if you ask me." Tyson remarked.

"Let Max continue." Kai snapped.

Everyone ceased their flow of comments and placed their attention back on the blonde.

"As I was saying, while running through the cemetery, I saw Amara there, paying her respects. I didn't want her to know that I was spying on her so I hid. I wasn't close enough to hear what she was saying, though. When she left, I went over, it was none of my business, but I had to see whom she had come to visit. There were three markers, one for two parents and two for the children. The family name was Rafe, I don't remember the parents' names but the children's names were Syneon and Amara."

"What!" Echoed through the room.

"Are you positive?" Rei pressed.

"You doubt me?" Max shot back, suddenly irritable.

"No offense, Max." Rei placated.

"Why would Amara have a grave under her name?" Kai asked.

"Isn't Amara'a last name Hirokami?" Tyson added.

"Michelle told us that both of them were orphans." Kenny remarked.

"Amara probably came up with a surname to cut ties with her past so no one would recognize her." Dizzi commented.

"Makes sense." Hillary placed her chin in her palm thoughtfully.

Kai resisted the sudden urge to bite his lower lip. He thought back to before they left for America, when he met Amara at the site of the house where she and Michelle had partially lived. _She said she killed someone. Then back at my house she was talking about her parents._

_According to Max, she is supposed to be dead then. _Dranzer's composed reply came.

_She said something about a fire…_

"We can't let the Wingz know that we know something." Rei said.

"They might not even know anything." Max said. "We still have to remain inconspicuous, especially around Amara." They all glanced over at Tyson.

"Easier said than done, Max." Dizzi commented.

"What did you say the last name was?" Rei asked.

"Rafe, why?" Max answered.

"Do a search on it," Kai remarked, understanding Rei's line of thinking.

"On it." Kenny and Dizzi said in unison.

"Just make sure you do it away from any of the Wingz Corp." Rei continued. "We can't take the risk."

"But aren't we missing another important issue." Tyson spoke. "What about Syneon? Is it the same Syneon that we met at the match? I mean, c'mon, how many people have that name?"

"Good point, Tyson." Max complimented. "But he was acting like he didn't even know Amara. If they are siblings, you would think he would get her name right."

"Guys?" Rei looked like he had a revelation. "Saturday when Wingz Corp came over to go over the data from the battles, you started talking about that Ryld and Syneon, Amara started freaking out when she heard the name."

"I thought she just really didn't want to talk about what happened with Arama." Tyson stated.

Kai listened intently, but remained quiet. Though Amara already let slip a little bit of her mysterious past, he knew he had no right to press further into the matter without her consent. But here he was, practically encouraging the others to find out all they can.

It was the Abbey training: Know your enemies as well as your friends.

Whether Amara was an enemy or friend was still up for debate.

----------

A/N: "Another chapter finished! I actually got Damian and Tala in there too! And no, they really don't like each other, but Tala is being blackmailed to work with them. How is he being blackmailed? I'm not telling! (still needs to figure that out for herself anyway). So, Amara and Syneon are siblings and if you remember from a previous chapter Syn doesn't have any memory of his past! (cliche, I know).

So, I don't know how much longer the America arch will take, so any sort of timeline that I had has been completely disregarded and thrown out the window. Even I don't have a good idea when the tournament will officially start. It will come, it will come...

Umm... sorry if there are any mistakes.

Oh, and if you have an idea for this story, go ahead and suggest it, I might be able to incorporate it or something if I really like it. Reviews are REALLY appreciated! They make me smile and help me get my mind off of school..."

Death


	25. Chapter 24

The days past fairly quickly with both teams doing their training in the morning and afternoon until around 1:30 (sometimes early or later) leaving the rest of the day free. For the Bladebreakers it all depended on when Tyson got up; since training is officially suppose to start at 6:30 in the morning.

Kenny and Dizzi did their searching whenever they could without any of the members from Wingz nearby. They usually could get through a good amount of different searches during the morning trainings. They still had not managed to find anything of significance concerning the family name Rafe.

The BladeBreakers went through a rather rigorous training under Kai's orders. Upon waking they were set for a four mile run, followed by easy weight training, break for breakfast, some basic drills before performance battles, which were followed by lunch, then finally, enhancing techniques and strategies. A few times Kai threw in other things to work on at a whim. Tyson was convinced he was doing it to make his life miserable.

Kai didn't deny a thing.

The Wingz Corp's training program really had no schedule. They basically did whatever they thought they need work on. Many would disagree with their curriculum but they really couldn't argue the fact that Amara and Michelle could still kick their asses no matter how they train.

Truth be told, the Wingz, since Ari, Reno, and Haru decided to train with Michelle and Amara, probably did a harder workout than BladeBreakers, even though they didn't follow a set plan.

It was around 2:00 on Wednesday when Hillary stumbled on the Wingz Corp in the training room. Each member was at a different weight machine. Hillary could only name the bench press, where Haru was, and the leg press, where Ari was. Just the person she was looking for. She felt awkward walking across the room over to Ari, especially when Amara and Michelle turned to regard her when she walked by their stations.

"Um, Ari?" Hillary started.

Ari smiled up at the brunette and stepped away from the machine. "What's up Hillary?"

"I was wondering if you're going to be free tomorrow."

"Oh? What for?" Ari cocked her head to the side inquisitively.

"Well, there's that banquet thing that's coming up on Friday," Hillary started but was interrupted when Amara let go of the bar she had to pull down on to lift the weights (Hillary had no idea what the machine was called) and since there was quite a bit of weight on it, it made a very loud noise when dropped. Amara let out a string of curses.

"I totally forgot about that." Michelle commented.

"We still need to get dresses." Ari remarked. "I take it that's what you wanted to ask about?" She received a nod from Hillary. "I think we can all go out tomorrow. The guys need to get their suits too."

"What is up with this banquet?" Reno asked, walking over to stand behind Ari. Sweat beaded slightly on his forehead that he absently brushed away.

Hillary couldn't help but think that Ari was pretty lucky. Evidently, Reno had a very nice body, lanky but very finely toned, the UnderArmor shirt hugging every contour of his torso left very little to the imagination.

And whoever ended up with Haru had every right to be shot. Hillary mentally slapped herself, now wasn't the time to be drooling. Built very much like Kai (whom Hillary admit having a long standing crush), definitely brawn but not excessively so. It was the thin white tank and the slight sheen of sweat upon his upper body that Hillary decided to blame.

Hillary gave her head a small shake and quickly answered Reno's question. "It is supposedly a place where you can meet the other competitors before the official tournament start. Supposedly to make friends or something like that."

"Or enemies," Amara commented from the bench she was sitting on.

"Only you, Amara," Haru remarked.

Ari ignored the two. "We could leave whenever you're ready tomorrow. Our schedule is rather unpredictable but nonetheless flexible."

"So, are the girls and guys going separate?" Michelle asked.

"Yeah. And the limos that brought us here are still available, in fact they're available to take us anywhere throughout our whole stay." Hillary said.

"Do we have to go?" Amara complained.

"You don't have to Amara." Michelle said.

"Thank God." Amara said, relieved.

"We'll just pick out a nice pink dress for you." Michelle said sweetly. Bahamut started laughing. An image of a pink lacy dress was sent to Michelle, the same one she had imagined a while back. Apparently Bahamut still found it amusing

"Hell no!" Amara jumped to her feet.

Reno, Haru, and Ari shared an amused glance at the exchange.

Hillary honestly didn't see what was so wrong with pink, however she didn't bother to ask. Turning back to Ari, she continued, "I was think about leaving around 12:30 tomorrow. Maybe a little later though."

"That sounds fine." Ari answered. "So I guess we'll see you later."

"Yeah, later." Hillary inclined her head and turned on her heel. Leaving the training room, she allowed herself to blush. She had seen the BladeBreakers work out and the Wingz Corp guys in their swimsuits. _But still, Haru and Reno need to show that side of them more often. _Hillary thought, and earned herself another blush.

* * *

Once Hillary left Ari let out a giggle. "Poor girl. Haru, I don't think she'll be able to look at you without the urge to blush for a while." 

Haru glanced down at his attire and gave a small shrug in response.

"So, what's the workout plan for tomorrow?" Reno asked, placing a hand on Ari's shoulder.

"We don't want to do anything too strenuous." Michelle stated thoughtfully. "Or unless we do make sure it's earlier in the morning so we can shower before we leave."

Amara cracked her neck, "Well, I'm up for a run tomorrow morning and I think that will probably be it for me other than a few drills or something."

"For a moment, I would almost accuse you of being lazy, Amara." Reno commented.

"So are we just going to be doing solo workouts for tomorrow before we leave?" Michelle inquired.

"It would appear so." Haru said while stretching.

"Well, I'm heading off to do some training with Bahamut." Michelle headed for the exit. "I'll be back for dinner." She called over her shoulder.

"Wonder what she's up to…" Ari remarked thoughtfully.

"She's probably trying to figure out how to reach that new form that she stumbled upon." Amara remarked absently as Haru pulled back on her upraised arm to stretch out her shoulder.

"Wouldn't it be better if she had someone to fight against?" Reno asked.

"Not necessarily," Haru answered for Amara, stretching out the other arm. "She realizes that she could probably achieve the form if the situation was dire. She wants to access it whenever, not just in trouble."

"Exactly." Amara commented. "And anyway, Michelle probably wouldn't want any of us for a training partner. She would probably want the first person she used it against to train with." She gave a slight nod towards Haru and he released her arm.

Ari was confused for a moment, but she hid it well. The Angel Wing noticed that Haru had let his hand linger on Amara's arm before letting go.

Tension swam through her shoulders and it didn't go unnoticed by Reno, who still had his hand upon her. He would ask about it later.

_This isn't good… _Ari thought. _Someone is bound to get hurt_

* * *

Michelle was starting to grow frustrated. She had been at this for God knows how long, but not a hint of improvement. 

"Damnit!" She cursed and sent her blade careening into the alleyway. It avoided all the trash before ricocheting off the wall to head back to her hand.

She tried focusing all her thoughts on the battle between Rei and herself. What had she felt? What had she done to get Bahamut and her armor to change?

_Michelle, this isn't working. _Bahamut said wearily in the back of her mind.

_I realized that already, Bahamut. _Michelle snapped back. _Nothing we do works! We could practice for hours on end but it won't do a sliver of good! Damnit all!_

Bahamut let out a sigh. _Michelle, don't push yourself to the point of exhaustion, it won't do YOU any good. We will find something that works, to access that form. I'm just as frustrated as you are._

Michelle allowed her shoulders to slump. _Sorry and you're right, we'll figure out something. We always do._

_Good. Now that that's settled, let's head back, I'm famished. _

Michelle let out a chuckle before her stomach agreed to Bahamut's statement.

* * *

Grabbing a quick shower Michelle headed down to the dining hall and found everyone else seated with their plates of food. Grabbing a plate she went up to the buffet line and grabbed whatever looked appetizing at the moment. Satisfied with her selection, Michelle made her way over to the circular table that seated five and sat down in the space between Amara and Rei. 

She glanced around and saw Tyson, Hillary, Kenny, and Max sharing one table but there was no sign of Reno and Ari.

"Where's-?" Michelle started to ask but was effectively cut off by Amara.

"They went out." She an absent wave of her hand, like that explained everything, before taking a sip of her water.

"How did the training go?" Haru asked from Amara's right.

"Nothing." Michelle answered bitterly. She let out a sigh before turning to Rei and Kai who was also at their table. "How's the training with the World Champion going?"

The scoff sounded like it came both Amara and Kai.

Rei let out a small chuckle, glancing over his shoulder to if said World Champion was paying any attention to them. "I wouldn't say they're going great, but it is Tyson. Somehow he improves despite everything."

"Did Hillary talk to you about the plan for tomorrow?" Michelle asked after swallowing a bite of pasta.

"Getting attire for the banquet?" Rei received an affirmative nod from Michelle. "Yeah, she did."

"Stupid banquet…" Amara mumbled next to her.

"It can't be all that bad." Haru remarked indifferently.

Amara scoffed. "For you maybe. It easy to go formal when you're a guy."

"Amara quit complaining." Michelle teased.

"You hate this just as much as I do." She countered.

"Yeah true, but I'm not making as big of a fuss about it."

"Shut up." The disgruntled Death Wing said.

Kai leaned back in his chair, watching everything that went on in the dining hall. He noted that besides the two teams there were only a few other people around, and most were attendants.

_Thoughtful? _Dranzer inquired.

He sent back a quiet affirmative.

_Amara?_

_Hm? What is it Tiamat?_

_Have you noticed? _Tiamat asked.

_Noticed what? _Amara suddenly grew worried. _Is it Arama?_

_No. _Tiamat responded quickly, not wanting to give Amara the wrong idea. _It's about Haru._

_What about him? _Amara was sincerely curious, she managed a subtle glance out of the corner of her eye.

_You haven't noticed? _Tiamat reiterated, slightly shocked.

Amara scowled. _Stop being so damn cryptic and just tell me!_

_Never mind, Amara, it is nothing important. _The dragon responded and fell silent.

_Whatever…_ Amara kept her scowl set on her face as she pushed the potatoes around her plate.

Those sitting around her noticed her scowl. Michelle couldn't help but ask what was up. "Did the potatoes offend you or something?" She joked lightly.

Amara blinked and seemed to realize that she was scowling. She set down her fork and shook her head. "Tiamat is just being an annoying know-it-all who thinks he's above everyone and will only impart his so-called knowledge on those he deems worthy."

There was an indignant _Hey! _in the back of her mind that put a small smirk to Amara's lips as she stood up. "I'm heading back to the room. See you later." With that said, she left the dining hall.

Kai's gaze discretely followed her as she left; there was a small chuckle in the back of his consciousness from Dranzer.

Rei went back to his dinner. He wanted to ask Michelle about Amara's parents but he knew it wouldn't be a good idea.

The rest of dinner for that table went by in silence while the table with Tyson and the others ended up echoing the hall with laughter and plain old fun.

* * *

Ari and Reno walked hand in hand around the city. They stopped by a restaurant and had a nice dinner. Ari wouldn't call it a date, but she guessed it would be the only way to explain it. 

Reno squeezed her hand lightly, breaking her from her thoughts. "Is something the matter? I noticed you've been tense."

Ari put on a small smile for him. "It's not really any of my business, but I can't help it, I'm an observer."

"Haru, Amara, and Kai?" Reno asked suddenly.

Ari was taken aback. "You noticed!"

Reno nodded and gently pulled Ari along, since they had stopped walking. He kept his eyes forward. "I noticed on the plane."

_I knew there was a reason why I love him! _Ari thought lightheartedly. "I just noticed it today in the weight room." Ari admitted. "You're more observant than I thought." She added teasingly.

Reno put on his trademark smirk. "Is that a compliment, Angel?" He then went serious. "If Amara isn't careful, she'll end hurting both of them. She'll keep pushing everyone away and in the end hurt herself."

Ari nodded. "It's sad…" The two walked in silence, grasping the other's hand. Ari let out a small chuckle. "Then there's Michelle."

"Those two won't have any problems." Reno agreed. "Michelle just has to get over her embarrassment."

"Both of them actually." Ari remarked. She carefully extracted her hand from his and wrapped her arm around his waist. Reno answered by wrapping his own arm about her shoulders, pulled Ari closer to his side.

"I love you."

* * *

The next morning found Amara, Ari, and Michelle awake, sitting on the couch. Ari was mindlessly flipping through the television channels, not really looking for anything to watch. She finally stopped on the local news station, which was doing its early morning segment. 

Amara stood up and stretched. "I'm gonna go for that run now, maybe do some other training as well. I've got nothing better to do."

"Be back by 11:30." Michelle reminded.

"We'll drag you along if we have to." Ari added.

"I know, I know." Amara waved them off as she quietly slipped back into the bedroom to throw on some running shorts and a tank. When she finished changing, she glanced over at Hillary's sleeping form and a smile found it's way to her face. _She's annoying for sure, but she's not that bad._ She quickly brushed back her hair and put it up into a ponytail. She grabbed another set of clothes before heading out.

She carefully closed the door behind her and walked past the other two, dropping off the clothes in the bathroom, and continued to the door. Lacing up her shoes, Amara nodded a goodbye to Michelle and Ari and exited.

Navigating the hotel, she made it to the ground floor and was greeted by the smell of the continental breakfast being prepared. She ignored the good morning that one of the personal working at the desk gave her and walked through the revolving doors.

She realized that it was stupid of her to forego the stretching and realized that she would probably regret it later, but at the moment Amara didn't give a damn.

She didn't know how far she ran, or for how long, she didn't even know where she was going, the only thing that there was, was the much-needed isolation.

Of course a good thing only lasts so long.

Turning a corner, she almost collided with the captain of the BladeBreakers himself, wearing a blue tank and shorts for running as well

"Kai!" She started. "I never thought I would run into you."

"Likewise." Kai stated coolly.

Amara brushed away a strand of hair that escaped the tie. "How long have you been out?" She casually glanced him over, trying to pick out if he was tired, anything to hint at how well his endurance can hold up.

"Left around 5:00."

"5:30." Amara answered automatically. "Do you have any idea what time it is now?"

He thought for a moment. "It's probably around 6:30."

The two stood at the corner in silence.

Amara could already feel her leg muscles cramping. She finally decided to break the awkward silence. "Should probably continue." She stated and started to walk past him.

Kai grabbed her arm. She turned to face him, her eyes narrowing in a questioning glare. "Join you?" He asked.

A surprised look erased Amara's glare. She certainly hadn't expected that. "Sure." She smirked. "If you think you can keep up."

"I would say the same to you." Kai remarked.

"You've been out here for a half hour longer, remember?" Amara answered, starting at a walk to loosen the cramps.

"Doesn't matter." Was Kai's reply as he matched Amara's walk.

Amara started to pick up the pace with Kai matching her every stride. The two matched each other every stretch of the way. One would casually up the pace and the other would go along, each of them pushing each other.

They were nearing the last eight hundred meters to the hotel. Both of their bodies glistened with sweat and they were nearing the end of their stamina.

Amara shot Kai a smirk and went into an all out sprint. Kai accepted the unspoken challenge and took off after her.

Amara's breaths came in sharp, but she didn't care. Only four hundred more meters.

She felt more than any other sense Kai's gaining.

Two hundred meters.

They were dead even, that is, until Kai started to pull away.

Hundred meters. Fifty.

Kai ran past the undeclared finish line with Amara right behind him. They slowed to a halt, chests heaving and adrenaline racing.

Amara paced about waited for her adrenaline levels to lower.

Kai watched her from beneath his bangs. He was surprised to find that that was once of the best runs he had in a while. Profitable but enjoyable as well.

"Good run." Amara said at length. She pulled the elastic band from her hair and ran her fingers through the sweaty locks. "If you ever need a runner partner you know where to find me." She said, looking across the street.

"Amara." Kai waited for her to face him.

Amara bit her lip; the seriousness in his voice worried her. She knew Kai as being serious, who didn't? But this tone was different. She, finally, slowly turned to face him. "What?"

"Your parents." He saw how she stiffened at that. "What happened to them?"

Amara's eyes darted about.

_She's looking for an escape. _Dranzer stated, but Kai already knew that fact.

"Amara, I want to know."

"I- I…"

"Kai! There you are!" Max's shout drew both of their attention as the blonde-haired blader came bursting out of the revolving doors. "The Chief and Dizzi found…" He trailed off seeing Amara there as well. "Umm, sorry?" He offered, drawing the conclusion that he interrupted something.

"Whatever." Amara stated as she brushed by him, heading back into the hotel.

Max turned back to Kai and continued where he broke off. "Dizzi spent all night doing an Internet search where she came across something that look promising. We're just waiting for you to get back."

Kai nodded in understanding and the two headed back to the room.

* * *

Amara ignored the cramps in her legs and continued her brisk walk to the elevator. Changing her mind just as the door opened, she headed for the stairs instead. 

_He threw you off guard with that one. _Tiamat remarked.

_No kidding. _Amara snapped. _But why is he so curious?_

_I take it you won't believe the 'he just wants to know you better' theory. _

_We understand each other on a certain level, and that's it. What I feel isn't the same as what he feels! _Amara felt like driving her fist into the wall of the stairwell.

_Are you finally admitting that there is something?_

_Yes- no! Argh! _This time Amara did punch the wall. She sank down to the steps. She had only made it up to the third floor.

_You can trust him, Amara. _Tiamat assured. _He wants your trust and probably hopes that you'll accept his. Trust ME on this. Spending a few days sharing the same soul, you tend to pick up on some things._

_Maybe…_ Amara replied at length._ Maybe…_

_

* * *

_

A/N: "Sorry, 'bout any grammatical mistakes... But now Amara is actually admitting that maybe she does like Kai! Amazing! But then there's the problem with Haru now... Anyway, I had to put that little bit with Ari and Reno and I don't know what came over me when I wrote that part in Hillary's point of view... That's new ground for me there. Anyway, next chapter, if I remember correctly, should be the chapter when they go out and get the dresses. I had fun writing that, it should be up in the next week or so

Things have been pretty hectic with Cross Country that's why this chapter came out so late. But the season is almost done and then its the volleyball season, so I'm still going to be busy..." sighs

"Oh, as a warning, I will be participating in NaNoWriMo come November, so I'll try to get as many chapters out for this as I can, because God knows I won't touch this story until the end of November. Reviews make for good motivation!"

Death


	26. Chapter 25

"Both Haru and Reno are gone. They said they had some training to do and probably wouldn't be back until this afternoon, then shower and leave again to get our clothes." Max was explaining as they made their way back to the room. "Tyson is actually up already and it's only 7:15. It's pretty amazing. Anyway, let's hope they haven't gone through the article before we even get there."

They walked past the room that belongs to the girls. Kai couldn't help but spare a glance at the closed door. _Would she have really told me herself? _He asked himself.

_Who knows? _Dranzer countered. _She might've. I have reason to believe that Tiamat was pressuring her as well to just tell someone._

Max opened the door to their room and Kai followed silently.

"What took you?!" Tyson exclaimed. "We've been waiting forever!"

Rei offered a shrug of apology at the eccentric blader's expense. "We haven't looked it over yet. While we were waiting Dizzi and Kenny tried to see if they could find anything else."

Max let out a small gasp. "What about Hillary?"

"She can find out later." Tyson remarked quickly. "She's probably still sleeping." With that statement, Tyson yawned widely.

The BladeBreakers crowded around the boy and his laptop.

"Ready, Chief?" Dizzi inquired.

"Go for it, Dizzi." Kenny replied.

The bit beast stuck in the computer opened a window that bore an old news article, while explaining, "This was the only thing I found that mentioned the name 'Rafe'."

_**Fire Destroys Family**_

_Feb. 21st _

_At the scene there is nothing left but a charred memory of what was a young family. The Rafe family had only been living in the house in a suburb of New York for a year. James Rafe worked at the local fire department while his wife, Arisa, was a medical consultant. They had two children; Syneon, age nine, and Amara, age seven._

_Police are still baffled by what could have caused the fire that destroyed this family in the late hours of the evening. There is no evidence to arson and neither do they believe that it was caused by a gas leak._

_An eyewitness states, "There was no warning. One minute it was calm, clear of smoke, then the next the house is a blazing inferno."_

_The fire department also found the blaze irregular. They commented that they never had encountered a fire that intense or hot. Many believe they had saw black flames amidst the fire; authorities have no comment on that._

_The investigation of what caused this tragedy is ongoing._

"Whoa, that's…" Tyson trailed off.

"She was only seven when it happened." Max remarked. "No wonder she's secretive, she doesn't want anyone to know the pain she went through."

"I think…" Rei trailed off for a moment before continuing. "I think we already pried enough into Amara's past."

"You can't be serious!" Tyson exclaimed. "You know that she'll probably never tell us!"

"It's not our right to know in the first place." Rei countered. "The only reason we had to search was because of the grave markers. If Max never saw them, we wouldn't have done this."

"Just drop it." Kai said lowly.

"But, Kai!" Tyson pressed. "It was you who ordered the search in the first place!"

"We searched the family and found what we were looking for, there's no need to dig further." Kai elaborated.

"I'll have to agree with Kai." Max said quietly. "Now I wished I never saw Amara at that cemetery."

"Well, Chief, you heard the man." Dizzi remarked and Kenny, without question, went about closing down searches.

Tyson huffed and crossed his arms over his chest. "I still don't like this." He stated defiantly.

"I know Tyson," Max placed a hand on his shoulder. "There's still a good chance that later on all of Wingz Corp will fully trust us."

* * *

Michelle watched every step Amara took, from when she entered the room with no greeting to going straight to the bathroom to shower off. She could read the lines of tension like an open book. She wasn't the only one either.

"Something is really bugging Amara." Reno commented once he heard the water running.

"That's obvious." Ari remarked, sipping at her coffee. She sat next to Reno on the couch.

Haru silently agreed from his seat in the chair.

"I thought you guys were going to do your own training today?" Michelle suddenly inquired of Haru and Reno.

"We decided to do that later tonight." Reno answered. "What about you?"

"Already did my workout." Michelle replied and slumped back in her chair, opposite of Haru.

Ari let out a small sigh. "Hopefully Amara will calm down before we leave. We don't want her to get all defensive when we're trying to pick out a dress."

The door to the bedroom opened and Hillary stepped out, dressed and ready to start the day. "Morning!" She greeted cheerfully.

"Morning Hillary." Ari responded in kind. "There's some coffee in the kitchen and Haru and Reno were kind enough to bring up some bagels from the continental breakfast if you're hungry."

"Thanks" She smiled and went to prepare her own breakfast.

"She's cheery." Michelle remarked, a delicate eyebrow cocked.

"She's probably just excited." Ari said with a shrug.

Hillary exited the kitchen and plopped down next to Ari on the couch, munching on bagel with cream cheese spread. "Do you have any idea of what type of dress we should look for? Especially for Amara, since I can tell she's not too thrilled about the whole idea." She asked Ari.

Ari put on a contemplative look. "Well, you're right about Amara, she'll shoot down every suggestion we give. At least Michelle has some sense, despite how much she doesn't like the idea of dressing up."

"I am sitting right here, you know." Michelle commented indignantly. "And I don't know whether I should take that remark as a compliment or not."

"Take it as a compliment." Ari replied casually. "I don't really know what style for Amara, I'll have to see her in a dress first."

"I almost wish I could come along, just to see the spectacle of forcing Amara into a dressing room." Reno commented. "You should take a camera, Ari."

"I wouldn't do that to Amara!" Ari exclaimed. "I can get all the pictures I want at the banquet, when she's in the finish product."

Michelle listened to Ari and Hillary toss each other ideas for Amara, her own, and their dresses. Reno threw in teasing comments about some of the ideas. Haru just sat there, half listening, half in deep thought.

* * *

Amara turned off the water with probably more force than was needed. Grabbing the towel off the nearby rack, she wrapped it around her and stepped out of the shower. Wringing out her hair over the sink, she glanced up at her reflection.

There was a flash of amber behind her green eyes.

Amara found herself looking at Arama in the mirror.

_Surprised? _Arama taunted.

_You're still bound. You can't do anything. _Amara snapped, her eyes narrowing in a glare.

_For the time being. _Arama answered. _So, are you finally admitting that you love Kai? If so, I'll just have to make sure to kill him in the worst way possible._

_You won't be able to, Arama. _Amara answered. She was gripping the edge of the sink so tightly that her knuckles started to turn white. She leaned closer to the mirror. _You can't hurt him._

_You haven't denied that you love him! _Arama laughed. _So you do! Were you jealous?_

Amara slightly recoiled at the sudden question. _What?_

A flash of a memory; Arama battling Kai for the tournament finals. The words; _'Watch Amara…'_as her hands clenched in his scarf before pulling him close.

Amara had tried to wipe that memory away and for a while she had succeeded, but now it raged back in her mind with a vengeance.

_So you were jealous! _Arama let out another laugh. _This will be so much fun!_

_Enough, Arama! _Tiamat roared and Amara flinched as the command resounded through her mind. The laughter slowly faded and soon Amara was looking at her own reflection. _Amara?_

_Where were you? _She asked softly.

_Arama is growing stronger. Even bound, she was able to put a block on our _Unity. _But, it wears her out. She won't be able to pull that off again for a while. Hopefully we'll grow stronger ourselves. _Tiamat said, trying to be reassuring.

Amara didn't answer as she changed into the clothes she left before going on her run. Through the door she heard Ari's light laughter along with Hillary's voice. Toweling down her hair, she pulled it up into a wet ponytail before walking out of the bathroom.

Ari, Hillary, Michelle, Reno, and Haru were all sitting in the living room, discussing clothes for the banquet. Amara cursed under her breath at that thought.

Michelle discerned that Amara seemed even tenser then before she took a shower, but she did a better job of hiding it. "Food and coffee in the kitchen." Michelle remarked.

Amara gave a slight nod of appreciation.

"What time is it?" Hillary suddenly inquired, looking about the room for a clock.

"8:00." Haru was the first to answer.

"I wonder if they're up yet…" Hillary said more to herself.

"They probably are." Michelle replied anyway. "Except maybe Tyson. Then again, if he heard about the breakfast…" She trailed off at that, not needing to elaborate further.

"True." Hillary stood up and stretched. "Well, I'm going to go see what they're up to. See you around noon." She gave a small wave and headed out the door.

Amara came back into the room as Hillary was leaving. She took the spot that Hillary had vacated and was met with the gazes of the others.

"You're tense." Michelle remarked, leaving no room for argument.

_I told you she would worry. _Tiamat said.

_She's not going to let me slip out of this one… _Amara sighed, wrapping her hands around the mug of coffee.

_Then just tell her. And might as well let Reno and Ari hear, they are, in a way, your family._

"Arama." Amara said simply after a moment of internal debate. She already knew that Haru understood, leaving once less person to explain things to.

"What's up with her?" Reno asked.

"She's growing stronger, isn't she?" Michelle had a worried look on her face.

"Yeah, she was able to block Tiamat from me."

"Isn't she bound, though?" Haru reasoned.

Amara nodded. "Tiamat was able to break through the block, eventually. He said it weakened Arama and she won't be able to do that again for a while."

"But there's still the problem that she could do that in the first place." Ari commented.

"I'm running out of options…" Amara bowed her head.

"We'll just have to find new ones." Michelle stated firmly.

_Good luck with that. _Bahamut remarked sarcastically. Michelle was surprised at the amount of venom in his tone.

_What's up with you? _

_It's just that this whole situation is just infuriating. _Bahamut amended in apology.

_I know. _Michelle sighed.

"I do not doubt that we can find new options, it's just the matter of time." Amara said.

"We'll be here, Amara." Ari said with a reassuring smile.

"Yeah, we'll help you in anyway we can." Reno readily agreed.

Amara glanced over at Haru. He nodded and she thought she saw a small smile on his lips.

"You just have to tell us when something is up." Michelle remarked. "No more hiding. We all remember what happened last time. We don't want a repeat of that."

"And, Amara," Ari placed a hand on the Death Wing's arm. "I know you don't like sharing everything with the rest of us, but just as long as you tell someone you trust, I can live with that."

Amara nodded. She knew that she would always keep secrets from them and would never tell them the full truth. As they say, 'Old habits die hard'.

But, maybe, when all is done, she can tell them- her family- the whole truth.

* * *

The BladeBreakers had decided not to tell Hillary about what they had found. So when she came by and asked how the search was going, they replied in the negative.

For their training for that day, they decided to go to the training room where a few small bey dishes were set up.

They did basic training and light battle. Probing each other, watching for weak points and forming tactics. They stayed there from 8:30 to 11:00, moving from the dishes to the weight machines.

Hillary, Kenny, and Dizzi 'continued' the search. Come 11:00 they had a pretty good workout and by 11:45, they all had showered and were down in the dining hall for lunch. Five minutes later, the Wingz Corp came down for lunch as well.

By 12:15, they had all finished and were waiting in the lobby of the hotel for their rides to come around.

"You guys all set?" Hillary asked.

"Yeah, I think so." Ari asked.

Amara and Michelle stood in back of the group. Amara discreetly nudged Michelle in the side and whispered. "How the hell are we to pay for these dresses?"

Michelle gave a slow blink. "Umm… I have no idea."

Amara let out a groan as the limos that brought them pulled up.

"I don't see why we have to shop," Tyson said the word with disgust, "for clothes as well."

"It's expected of you, Tyson," Hillary remarked. "You're the World Champion, so you're obligated to go and you have to make a good impression."

"Haru, keep on eye on Reno." Ari said to the quiet blader.

"I don't need a keeper!" Reno crossed his arms over his chest.

Rei and Kai had already headed out and were waiting by the limo; Kenny and Max were dragging Tyson over. Reno and Haru said or nodded a goodbye and followed the BladeBreaker team out.

"Wow, Tyson makes just about as much as a fuss as Amara." Ari commented.

"Ari, not funny." Amara stated.

"Hey, Hillary?" Michelle walked along side the brunette as they walked out the hotel to their ride. "How are we paying for all this?"

"Not to worry!" Hillary smiled. "Mr. Dickinson is providing the money for expenses." She pulled out a debit card from her purse. "He gave Kenny and I one of these for any expenses we might have."

"Why didn't we get one?" Amara asked.

Hillary gave a small shrug. "Don't know. Maybe he figured that we would hang out to together or something… Then again, we're kind of stuck together anyway with the way things are set up."

"Oh." Amara opened the car door before the driver could do it for her. The other girls climbed in after her and soon they were on the road.

* * *

The seven boys sat in silence. Even Tyson remained quiet. Finally, Reno decided to break it. "So, you guys have any idea of what Hillary expects us to get?"

"Not a clue." Max replied.

"It probably would have been easier if Hillary and or Ari came with us." Reno remarked.

"They have their hands full with Amara and Michelle." Haru spoke up.

"Why's that?" Tyson asked.

Reno laughed. "Neither of them, for as long as I've known them, has ever worn anything that came close to a dress or skirt."

"Plus with the mere mention they cringe or flinch." Haru added.

Rei chuckled. "That's almost the complete opposite of Hillary."

The driver pulled up into a parking lot and turned back to the group. "Here's your stop." He said. "I'll be around so just call me. You have the number, right?" Kenny rattled off the number and he nodded in affirmation. "Just some advice. Stick to the stores around this block, they know their stuff even if you don't know what you need. Just explain your situation and they should be able to take care of you."

"Thanks!" Kenny replied and they climbed out of the limousine.

"The sooner we get going, the sooner we can be finished." Tyson mumbled.

* * *

"The sooner we get going, the sooner we can be finished." Amara mumbled, crossing her arms over her chest. "So just pick a goddamn store!"

Ari and Hillary completely ignored her. They were looking about, wide-eyed at all the buildings, peering through windows to get a look at the wares before moving on to the next store. Michelle and Amara were lagging behind only when they got too far behind would the other two girls turn around and drag them by the arm.

"Can't let you escape." Was Ari's explanation.

Finally they were pulled into a store. Everything in the store was either a dress or something that was supposed to go with a dress.

"Welcome ladies!" One of the clerks came up to them. "My name is Sean. How may I be of assistance?" He gave a small bow, showing the top of his balding head.

Ari handled him like a pro. "We need dresses, of course, but these two," she motioned to Amara and Michelle behind her, "need to be measured as well. Us four want something formal, but easy to move in."

"You've come to the right place." Sean said. "Let's measure these two first, and while we're measuring you two can look around for something that you like or maybe something for your friends." He held out his arms to Amara and Michelle.

Amara resisted the urge to try and rip off his arm. _He's begging to be murdered…_

_Amara, play nice. _The dragon sounded vastly amused.

_Tiamat, shut up._

Michelle stared at the offered arm with an upraised eyebrow. _What does he want? He doesn't honestly believe that either of us would take his arm and be lead like sheep to the slaughter?_

_He's just probably use to dealing with the type of girls who would giggle and find his whole demeanor amusing and charming. Now, dealing with two girls who probably have the power to destroy the whole city together probably doesn't register on the 'oh-shit-back-away' meter. _Bahamut remarked.

_Your humor never ceases to amuse me._

"Just lead the way." Amara practically growled.

Sean dropped his arms and back away slightly. "Er… Right this way then." He turned on his heel and led them to the back of the store.

Ari and Hillary browsed through the many dresses.

"What the fuck are you doing?!" A shout came.

"Just hold still!" Came a frazzled replied.

"Hell no!"

"I need to measure you!"

"Came within five feet of me and I will shove that tape measurer-"

"Amara, maybe you should calm down…"

Ari let out a sigh. It was going to be a long day.

"Hey, Ari!" Hillary called. "I think I found a dress for you."

Ari walked over to where Hillary was looking and when Hillary pulled out the dress her eyes widened. "Wow…"

"I knew you would like it." Hillary smiled.

There was a crash and the two cringed slightly.

"I hope Sean's okay…" Hillary remarked. After a moment she started looking through the rack of other dresses, holding the one for Ari over her arm. "What color do you think for Michelle?"

"Something silver, maybe. And Amara, maybe something green or black."

Hillary nodded in agreement. "Let's just hope we don't get kicked out or something."

There was another crash.

* * *

By dinnertime both groups made it back to the hotel. They all had purchased something for the next day's banquet and had managed to make it through the day without too much incident.

Amara had slung the bag, which held her dress over her shoulder as she stalked to the elevator, heading back to the room.

"Hey, Am-" Max began a greeting as she walked by him.

"Shut up." She snapped, giving him a sharp glare before continuing on her way.

The boys watched her disappear into the elevator.

"She's in a bad mood…" Reno remarked. He turned to the other girls as they walked up to them. "So, what happened?"

Ari gave a meek chuckle. "Let's just say, one of the dressers is going to be scarred for the rest of his life."

"I take it things didn't go so well then?" Rei asked.

"I wouldn't say that." Michelle remarked. "Things went okay. We got our dresses and that's all that matters."

"And we didn't get kicked out of the store either." Hillary added.

"Can't say the same for us." Max let out a sigh.

Kai and Haru and joined the group in silence. They both had cast a glance back at Kenny and Tyson, carrying their bags in.

"Tyson caused a small disturbance." Rei explained. Kai didn't bother to bite back a scoff. "I think it shall be left at that…"

"Hey, Michael!"

They looked over to see Tyson greeting a taller dark-blonde haired boy.

This Michael was wearing a baseball cap with the BBA logo on it, an unbuttoned baseball jersey with a shirt underneath and a pair of jeans. "Tyson, good to see you." He replied before turning to the group. "Hey, Max, your mom says 'hello'. She'll be at that banquet tomorrow, since she's the one who organized it."

"I kinda figured she would be busy and everything." Max answered. "And I'm not surprised she's the one organizing it."

Michael walked over to the group. "Yeah, Judy wanted to start the Championship Tournament off without too much mishap." He finally glanced over the rest of them, specifically the Wingz Corp minus Amara. "Sorry, I don't believe we've met."

Michelle stepped forward. "We're the other team sent from Japan; Wingz Corp. I'm Michelle Katsumonu. This is Reno, Ari, and Haru. Amara is up in our room at the moment."

"So, you're other team…" Michael studied them for a moment. "I'm Michael captain of the All-Starz. I was fortunate enough to get a copy of your battle from Japan's tournament. Your technique is very interesting."

"Likewise." Michelle answered. "You still use a baseball to launch?"

He nodded an affirmative. "If we should battle, it might prove to be interesting. I would very much like to face either you or your partner. Well, nice meeting you." Michael nodded before turning and heading back on his way.

"He seems like a decent opponent." Reno commented.

"He's a good guy." Tyson remarked, lacing his fingers behind his head. "A bit of a show-off if you ask me though, but a good guy nonetheless."

"You're one to talk Tyson." Rei commented.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Tyson was about to argue the point but Kenny butted in.

"Tyson, your showing off got us kicked out of that one store." The mechanic said with a sigh.

"We should probably put our stuff back in the rooms." Hillary spoke up. "We wouldn't want anything to wrinkle or anything."

"Good idea." Ari paused a moment before adding. "It might be a good idea also to make sure that Amara didn't try to set her dress on fire or something."

"She's not that vindictive." Michelle stated.

"Think about what you just said…" Haru walked past her.

Michelle gave a weak chuckle. "Yeah, you're right."

* * *

Amara, in fact, did not try to destroy her dress. She did hang it up on the door and gazed at it. _I can't believe they talked me into this…_

_I think it looks nice and it seems to suit you. _Tiamat commented. _But I am a dragon and a male one at that so what am I suppose to know about these things?_

_Indeed. And what am I suppose to know about these things? _Amara countered.

_You humans are strange. Especially you females._

_Even I have to agree with you. _Amara let out a sigh. _I want tomorrow to be over and done with. _She looked up at her purchase again but smiled slightly this time. For some unexplained reason, she felt giddy and she didn't know if she liked the feeling or not. It almost felt like come tomorrow, nothing could go wrong. As an added bonus Arama still has been recovering her energy and has remained passive.

Amara's smile widened.

* * *

"Are you sure that you don't want to go, Syn?" Ryld asked, walking along side the taller and older teen. They were already in the hotel that was hosting them for their stay during the tournament. Luckily for the BladeBreakers and Wingz Corp, they weren't in the same hotel.

"I don't do well in crowds." Syn remarked, taking out the keycard to their room and unlocking the door. "Besides, I think Damian will cause enough trouble."

"It would've been even more interesting if Boris allowed Tala to go with him. Imagine if Kai saw him there." The two walked into the room and Ryld shut the door behind him. They didn't bother with the lights, keeping the room immersed in shadow.

"Damian is also on a mission, he's going to sow the seeds of chaos."

"Damn, Syn. You went poetic there." Ryld chuckled, his rusty eyes gleaming mischievously. "Well, have we decided on how we're going to capture Bahamut?"

Before Syn could answer, there was a knock at their door. Ryld waved Syn off, indicating that he would answer.

"Ryld." Damian greeted once the door opened.

"Hey, welcome, Damian!" Ryld grinned. He opened the door further and motioned Damian into the dark room.

"Syn." Damian nodded to the teen standing next to the window. The lights from the street casting shadows on his face, but the green eyes remained dark and blank.

"So, what's up, Damian?" Ryld questioned, leaning against the door. "Your partner giving you trouble or something?"

"No, it's not that." Damian answered calmly, his arms crossed over his chest. "I think I know a way to lure Arama out of Amara."

"Ah, so that's what you meant when you said he was going to sow the seeds of chaos, Syn." Ryld tilted his head back. "So, let's hear this plan of yours."

"Corruption calls to corruption." Damian said cryptically, a smirk spread across his face.

_It is my corruption against that of Amara's. _Black Dranzer's voice echoed through Damian's mind.

If the corrupt phoenix could smirk, no doubt it would mirror Damian's.

* * *

A/N: "Another chapter over and done with. Whew! So what does Damian have planned? Well, you'll just have to find out.

"So, about this chapter, is seems that it was a little longer than normal and it probably was, but there just wasn't a good place for me to stop. I hope that I got all the spelling mistakes as well... Anyway, I am completely surprised at how long this has gotten. I have it saved on my laptop and I'm like 800 more words from the 100,000 mark. And I haven't even gotten to the tournaments! So is it because I'm just dragging this out too much or what? Please tell me if I am!

"Is it just me, or does my Kai seem a little, I don't know, flat? He's just so hard to write when you have him in the company of characters like Tyson, Max, and Rei, but when I write him on his own he seems fine. Is it just me?

"Well, NaNoWriMo is coming up, but don't worry I'll have the next chapter up before November 1st! Wish me luck!

See you next chapter!"

Death


	27. Chapter 26

Later that evening found Hillary sitting with the rest of the BladeBreakers in the guy's room. She had already glanced at the clothing they had chosen and approved at their selections, deeming them fit for the banquet.

After getting 'Hillary's seal of approval' Reno and Haru headed to the other room where Ari, Michelle, and Amara were waiting.

Once they left, Hillary immediately bombarded Kenny and Dizzi with questions about the search. It seemed that she was more fervent in the search than before. When she was inquired of this, she responded bluntly, "No girl should ever go through life without once feeling truly like a girl."

None of the BOYS inquired her logic further.

In the girl's room, where the Wingz Corp was congregated, things were a bit quieter. Or completely silent.

They sat in the living room, each with their own cup of coffee. Not one of them spoke a word. It was as if they all had some sort of understanding of what was going through each other's minds.

Michelle finally broke the silence. "Do you think we'll be ready come Sunday?"

"Why wouldn't you be?" Reno asked.

"I don't know. It's just a nagging feeling." She answered

"We'll be ready Michelle, if we weren't ready enough as it is." Amara remarked. "I just wish that we could skip tomorrow completely and go right to Saturday."

"There's no way you're skipping tomorrow." Ari narrowed her eyes. "Not after all the trouble we went through to get you that dress. And plus, I think you owe it to that Sean since because of you he'll need a lot of therapy after what you put him through."

"Not my fault…" Amara muttered into her cup.

Michelle, since she was sitting next to Amara on the couch, was probably the only one to hear her.

"Well, at least Hillary ok-ed our clothes for tomorrow already," Reno remarked.

"I have to wonder what type of teams we'll meet tomorrow." Ari commented. "So far the only person we've meet was that Michael from the All-Starz."

"No, there is another two." Haru spoke up.

"Who?" Amara asked.

"Ryld and Syneon."

Amara was actually surprised that she managed to keep from flinching at the mention of Syn's name. She still didn't know if it was truly him, but there wasn't that many doubts left. Another question suddenly started to nag her though. "When did you meet these two?"

"You were still unconscious." Michelle answered. "It was just as we were leaving the stadium."

"Did they say they were taking part in the tournament?" Amara asked.

"No, they just said that they would see us later." Ari answered.

"He seemed to know of Haru though." Reno stated.

"He grew up around the place were I grew up." Haru answered. "I must have had more of a reputation there than I thought." His normal apathy seemed forced and bitter. The rest of the group knew better than to press the subject further.

Like with Amara, they wouldn't continue a topic unless the person it directly involved allowed the subject be opened for discussion but had every right to stop them anywhere. This rule was respected and for the most part obeyed, though at times thing got a little frustrating.

* * *

Once Hillary left, Tyson turned to Kai. "I think we should tell her what we found soon. Or else she might get suspicious or do her own search or something." 

"I agree with Tyson. We can't keep this up much longer." Max said.

"Kai?" Rei ventured since the captain still had yet to answer.

"Once the tournament starts." He replied at length.

"I'm just worried that she won't be able to remain inconspicuous since she is rooming with Amara. They will definitely notice if she becomes distant." Kenny remarked.

"Let's just hope she can act normal." Max agreed. Before anyone else could comment, there was a knock at the door and it swung open.

"Hillary said that you guys were finished." Reno said. He stretched his arms above his head and yawned. "Man, I'm tired. How can girls actually like all that shopping?" He turned to Haru.

"Why don't you ask Ari?" Haru countered.

Reno didn't bother answering. He just changed the subject. "I think I'm going to turn in for the night."

"It's only 8:30 though." Tyson said.

"Well, in some foreign country it is 11:30, I'm tired, so goodnight." With that said, Reno walked to the bedroom and shut the door behind him, even probably more force than needed.

"Goodnight, then." Tyson said lamely.

"Is Reno in a bad mood?" Rei asked.

Haru watched the door that Reno had just slammed shut as if he could see right through it. He closed his eyes before exhaling. "Reno is just a little frustrated." Haru finally replied, turning to look at Rei. "We all are."

"If you don't mind my asking, about what?" Kenny inquired.

"Many things." Haru said simply, the only answer he would give Kenny. _Many, many things. _He felt Solus stir in the back of his mind, sending a ripple of agreement through him. He only wished that answers would be revealed.

Then life would be so much easier.

* * *

5:00am came all too soon in Michelle's opinion. Throwing back the covers, she climbed out of bed and stretched. The bed creaked softly and Michelle turned to see that Amara was still asleep. She was laying on her side with the covers pulled up to her chin and her hand fisted near her head. Amara almost looked peaceful. 

Once Amara woke up and remembered what day it was, things weren't going to stay peaceful.

Silently changing into some workout clothes, Michelle exited the bedroom.

_Ready to finally reach that form, Bahamut?_

_I should hope so._

_Don't be such a pessimist. _Michelle remarked. _I just have a good feeling that today might be the day._

_I've never known you to be an optimist, Michelle. _Bahamut commented.

_It's just a feeling I have. _Michelle exited the suite and walked down the hall. _I don't know what to make of it, but something pivotal is going to happen today._

_Do you know for a fact that it will be a good thing? _Bahamut countered.

Michelle paused for a moment, stopping in front of the elevator. She punched the down button. _All the more reason to be optimistic. _

* * *

By noon a few more teams had shown up at the hotel. There were two teams each from Australia, Germany, and Egypt. This year's World Championship would be the biggest as of yet. The official count of teams wouldn't come until Sunday, when everything started. 

Tyson and Max were around and about greeting the new faces that they just might face in the upcoming battles. Kai and Rei were found in the training room battling each other with Kenny and Hillary watching. The whole Wingz Corp team, though, was down at the pool.

They were playing a game of volleyball, two on two, boys against girls. Ari, not wanting to risk injury, opted to referee the game. The match ended with Amara and Michelle emerging as the victors to no one's surprise.

After they finished their game, the group split up. Ari and Reno heading off in one direction, Haru, saying that he wanted to walk around the city more, went back to the room to change. Amara and Michelle headed to their own room.

Once entering the suite, Amara shut the door and locked it. "Michelle, I made up my mind about something."

"Really? About what?"

"Before we leave America for the next round, I'm going to take you to see my parents." Amara remarked. "I'm trying. Trying to reveal a little bit more. So, if you have something to ask…"

Michelle allowed a small smile. "That's great, Amara. Well, then, before you mentioned something about having an older brother."

"I think you might have already met him."

Michelle eyes widened in confusion. "Really? Who?"

"I don't know yet if it was truly him," Amara started, pausing for a moment.

"Amara, if you're only telling me this because you feel obligated, don't." Michelle remarked sternly.

She shook her head. "I've put this off far to long, Michelle. His name was, or is, Syneon."

Michelle instantly recognized the name. "There can't be that many people with the same name, so it would be safe to assume that it was him. And his eyes, Amara, they were so much like yours, so I find myself not too surprised about this whole thing."

"I need to see him. I have to see with my own eyes that he's still alive." Amara said, sitting down on the sofa. "I don't care if he doesn't remembers me or hates me because of everything that has happened, I just need to know that there is someone who survived."

Michelle could understand in a way. Sort of like the reassurance that even though you were the cause of something, not everything was entirely your fault. "Amara, I'm not going to ask anything else right now, even though it goes against my better judgment. Just promise that you'll at least be a little more cooperative in answering questions that revolve around your past."

Amara smirked. "That's a promise I can't keep, Michelle, you know that. But I promise I will try."

"That's all I can ask for Amara." Michelle replied, a slight grin tilting the corner of her lips.

* * *

Ari walked around the hotel. She had separated from Reno explaining that she needed to start preparing. He commented that it was only 3:30 but didn't wait for her reply, realizing to whom he was talking to. 

However, before she could start getting ready there were two things she had to do first. Make that three. She had to find Hillary first.

Speaking of Hillary, she appeared around the corner of the hall that lead from the training rooms.

"Oh, hey Ari." Hillary greeted.

Ari smiled back. "Hillary, are you going to start getting ready for the party?" She asked.

"Yeah. Why?"

"Well, before you do, I was wondering if you could help me with something." Ari replied.

"Sure, what is it?"

"Well…" A devilish grin worked its way on Ari's lips. "How good are you with make-up?"

"Pretty good, why?"

If one wanted to see the devil smile, all they would have to do was take once glance at Ari at that very moment.

* * *

Amara stepped out of the bathroom in the hotel suite she shared with Michelle, Ari and Hillary. Barefoot, wearing just her sports bra and sweatpants, she pulled her wet hair back into a low ponytail. She was surprised at how long it had gotten. The last time she paid any attention to it, which was a while ago, it rested just above her shoulders now it was just at the middle of her back. Glancing over, Amara saw the dress that she was to wear to the party and let out a small sigh. 

Michelle had left to do some things, Amara didn't bother to ask what. Instead, with nothing else to do, she hopped into the shower and stood for a long time underneath the warm spray.

It was only 3:35 when she got out of the shower and the party wasn't until 7:00. She figured it wouldn't take her long to get ready so she decided to start at 6:15. Stretching her arms above her head until she felt the satisfying pop of her back, she was startled when she heard Ari's voice behind her.

"Amara, getting ready for tonight?" She asked innocently.

"Not until later." Amara replied.

Ari grinned. "That just won't do."

Amara raised a suspicious eyebrow. "What won't do?" Instinctively she tensed.

"You need to start getting ready now, Amara." To Amara at this moment, Ari looked nothing like an angel, more like a minion of Satan.

"There is no way in heaven or in hell that you are coming near me with make-up." She stated, catching on quickly. _Tiamat, help._

_Why? This is amusing. _The damned dragon sounded so very smug.

"But you would look so beautiful."

"I'd rather die." Amara replied curtly as she bolted away, only to realize that she wasn't fast enough. Ari had grabbed her around the waist and tackled her to the ground. Amara tried to get free, but it seemed once Ari put her mind to it, she could probably take down the strongest of foes. It didn't help that Tiamat was being no help.

Looking up from her pinned position on the floor, Amara saw Hillary enter the room. Her last hope of getting free was shattered when Hillary locked the door behind her, bolting it shut.

Seeing that Hillary carried a bunch of cosmetics, Amara rationalized that since this couldn't be heaven, she had to be in hell. She just totally ate her own words.

* * *

Michelle wandered back to the room. It was around 4:30 and probably a good time to start getting ready. Maybe even get Ari to help or something. 

She was in a pretty good mood. She had been training from the time she left Amara in the room. Nothing physical, but more mental concentration, it seemed to have calmed her down a bit, even cleared her head. All in all, Michelle decided that maybe reflection/meditation isn't so stupid after all.

She twisted the handle. Locked? "What the hell?" Michelle asked aloud. She gave the handle to the room another shake.

That good mood that was mentioned before, well at the moment, it's doing a dive-bomb while engulfed in flames. "Amara! Open the door!" She shouted turning the locked handle again.

Michelle opened her mouth again to shout but was interrupted when the door suddenly whipped opened. She could barely get out a protest when a hand grabbed her and dragged her into the room.

Before her was a sight she never thought, never dreamed, she would have ever seen in real life.

She never would have thought that she would be receiving the same treatment, either. But sure enough, Hillary and Ari managed to get her into a chair and started to 'attack' her hair.

At least, unlike Amara, she didn't have to be restrained to the chair.

* * *

Kenny fiddled with his bowtie, trying his best to straighten it without a mirror. He stood outside, by the limo that was taking them, in his black suit waiting for the others to come. He had decided that for tonight he would leave Dizzi behind. Though she protested slightly, Dizzi finally gave in and agreed to look up information on other teams that will be participating. 

Glancing up he saw Rei, Max, and Kai walking out of the hotel.

"Where's Tyson!?" Kenny ran up to Max and grabbed the taller boy by the shoulders. "We need to be there by 6:45! It's almost 6:35 and it takes twenty minutes to get there!"

Max carefully extracted Kenny's hands from his white dress shirt. "Take it easy, Chief." He chuckled, "He's on his way. Hillary had a little 'malfunction', or something." He gave his green tie a small tug, tightening it.

Sure enough Tyson and Hillary walked out of the revolving doors arm in arm. Despite the fact Tyson was escorting her, the two were still arguing.

"You girls honestly take too long!" Tyson snapped. "Our being late is probably going to be blamed on me!"

"I couldn't help it!" Hillary retorted. "My hair wouldn't cooperate! And Tyson, tighten your tie, tuck in your shirt, and button up the rest of the buttons!"

Tyson looked down at his attire. Sure enough his tie was loose, shirt un-tucked, and the top few button of his long-sleeved dress shirt undone. He gave a small shrug. "At least I'm wearing something that could be considered 'dressy."

Rei let out a small sigh, crossing his arms over his chest. His was dressed in a Chinese grab, the base colors being red and black, but it had a white and gold tiger that swirled from his left shoulder to his right side.

He glanced over at Kai who was leaning against the limousine. He was dressed in black slacks, white shirt, and a black sports jacket. His dress shirt, like Tyson's, had the top few buttons undone and his sport's jacket was open as well. Rei was glad that Kai had left his scarf back in the room.

"Are we all set?" Kenny asked his voice slightly strained.

"Yes, we are." Hillary stated firmly. She removed her arm from Tyson's and strode forward. Her heels clacked against the cement, and her dress swished as she walked by. The dress was rose colored that reached just past her knees. It had only one strap that went over her left shoulder.

Looking up at Kai, Hillary placed her hands on her hips. "Well?" She asked.

Kai raised an eyebrow before rolling his eyes. He reached over and opened the car door.

Hillary said a "Thank you," and climbed in.

"Let's get going then." Max said and the rest of the team clambered in.

Once they were all situated in and buckled the driver put the limo into drive and they were on their way.

"So, where are the Wingz?" Rei asked Hillary.

"Well, Amara refuses to leave until she absolutely has to." Hillary answered. "I think that it is because she is a little embarrassed."

"Amara embarrassed?" Max inquired. "That'll be something to see."

"By the sounds of it, you'll see it at the banquet." Tyson laughed.

"Don't be mean, Tyson." Hillary smacked his arm. "Both Amara and Michelle look quite stunning and Ari too."

"Hey, Kai." Kenny spoke up. "Do you think that Tala will be there?"

"I don't know." Kai answered. "If my grandfather is indeed again in charge of BioVolt, no doubt he will have a team in the tournament."

The conversation in the vehicle went solemn at that statement.

"We know that there is a team working for BioVolt, we just don't know which one." Max said. "It's sad to think if Tala and the rest of the Demolition Boyz are still stuck at that abbey."

"I wonder if that Ryld will be there." Tyson remarked. "The one we saw at the last tournament…"

"We can't do anything if he is." Rei said. "Our battles should be taken care of in the tournament and in the dish."

"Knowing Boris that won't be the case." Kai stated.

"We shouldn't let ourselves be dragged down to their level." Rei replied.

"Let's just focus on having a good time tonight." Max supplied.

"Yeah!" Hillary agreed

"It would be great to see everyone from past tournaments again!" Tyson grinned.

With that sad, the mood seemed to brighten, but there was still a dark cloud that hung in the back of their minds.

When will BioVolt and Voltaire make their next move?

* * *

A/N: "Well, they're finally on their way to the banquet!" cackle "Plot development coming up! So who's all going to be there? You'll just have to wait to find out... 

About that wait... well it might be awhile. NaNoWriMo you know. So, don't expect another update until December! But you might get lucky... who knows..."

"Sorry 'bout any errors in this chapter, tell me if spot one!"

Death


	28. Chapter 27

A/N: "Hey! Look what I got for you! An update! Even though I'm still focusing all my writing abilities on my NaNoWriMo, I decided since I love you all so much, I'll put this chapter up early. Enjoy!"

11/23/06 A/N: Okay, for some reason this chapter got to deleted... So, I'm putting it up again. Sorry about that

* * *

"Come on, Amara!" Ari scolded as she tapped a finger against her bicep. "We're running late." She stood outside the bathroom door that Amara had barricaded herself in. Haru and Reno stood on either side of her.

Michelle walked out of the girl's bedroom, wearing her cloak to cover her dress since they didn't pack any long jackets. She had Amara's own cloak slung over her arm. "She's refusing to show herself, isn't she?"

Ari nodded and gave Michelle a quick assessment. Her red brown hair was pulled back in an elegant bun with loose strands that were curled and framed her face Turning back to the door, Ari gave another knock. "Amara, Michelle has your cloak."

"Then hand the damn thing over." Was the curt reply that was punctuated by the door unlocking.

Ari took a step back, allowing Michelle to proceed forward. The door opened a crack and Michelle held the article of clothing to the opening only to have it quickly snatched and the door once again locked.

Ari let out a sigh, brushing off invisible dust on her white dress. It was a plain white dress that reached just below her knees. The back was extremely low cut, revealing the porcelain skin and the only thing that held it up was the tie around her neck. Her honey hair was pulled back into a complex twist, accented by a white feather.

Reno placed an arm across Ari's bare shoulders. "Want to wait for them by the car?" He asked, tugging at the cuffs of his black sports jacket.

Ari reached up to fix the collar of the red shirt he wore underneath. "Sure, let's go."

Michelle watched the two leave. She exhaled deeply before turning to Haru. Suffice to say, Haru really didn't go for much color in his clothes. He was dressed in black from head to toe, but he pulled off the look quite well.

The bathroom door finally opened and Amara stepped out. "Let's just get this over with." She growled, subconsciously tugging at her cloak.

"Oh, Amara…"

* * *

The BladeBreakers entered the foyer; their eyes glanced about the place. There only a spare few people around and most of them were the attendants and workers. 

"Max!"

The team found their eyes drawn up the stairs to the owner of the voice. It was a woman wearing a plain black dress with a nametag pinned in place, her blond laid upon her shoulders.

"Mom!" Max exclaimed and bolted up the stairs. He stopped in front of the woman, pausing, before hugging her. "It's been too long!"

Judy laughed, hugging her son back. "It's great to see you again." She looked up at the team of the BladeBreakers as they finished the climb. "All of you." She glanced around the entrance hall. "Isn't there another team from Japan?"

"Yeah," Tyson was the first to answer. "They're probably going to be a little late."

"I doubt that, Tyson." Hillary remarked. "Ari will get them straightened out."

"Is Mr. Dickinson here?" Kenny asked.

"He should be. I just saw him a few minutes ago." Judy answered. "Well, why don't you head into the banquet hall and find your seats. Tyson you and Max will be sitting up at the main table. I'm sorry but there's still some things I need to do and it's almost seven."

"It's okay," Rei assured.

"Yeah!" Max agreed. "We'll see you around, Mom."

Judy smiled and headed down the grand stairway, catching the nearest attendant and handing out instructions.

The team walked up to the doors and pulled them open. Inside was the banquet hall and many teams were walking about and talking with each other. At the moment, they couldn't pick out any familiar faces.

"This is going to be so great!" Hillary remarked, dragging Tyson behind her as she searched for their table. "Here it is!"

Kai looked around. He didn't like where they would have to sit, there were too many ways were someone could come up behind him. But then again, he could probably sense them before they got too close. Despite that, he still didn't like the idea.

"Hey, Kai." Rei spoke up. "Want to see if we can find any familiar faces?"

Kai didn't respond verbally, instead he started walking back towards the hallway.

Rei hurried after him. "We'll be around!" He called over his shoulder. Catching up to Kai he gave him an inquiring look but wisely kept quiet.

"Let's go find Mr. Dickinson." Kenny spoke up. "I want to ask him something."

"Okay!" Tyson took off. He skidded to a sudden stop, realization dawning upon him. "'Bout what, Chief?"

"I want to know if he had gotten anymore information on Voltaire and if there is a team registered under BioVolt." Kenny replied.

"Good idea." Max commented. "Let's go." The four of them took off in search of the BBA chairman.

* * *

Amara hated it. She hated the fact that she was wearing a dress. She hated the fact that Ari and Hillary had not only managed to pin her down and do her hair but her make-up as well. Of course she put up a fight, but Tiamat decided then to be a bastard a not pull out _Unity_ just because he thought she needed to get more in touch with her feminine side. 

Tiamat will definitely pay for that.

She might have had a chance of getting away; that was until Ari went into _Unity _with Ark.

So, by the time the Wingz Corp arrived most of the other teams were already present. They climbed the staircase and entered the hall. They didn't see any sign of the BladeBreakers when they reached their table.

Back to the list of everything she hated. She hated the way everyone looked at her. Amara was always uncomfortable around crowds, but she could ignore all the attention she was receiving then. Here, however, it wasn't what she was doing that was drawing the attention; it was just the way she looked and that annoyed her immensely. Once they had unclasped their cloaks, she and Michelle drew the attention of almost everyone in the hall. But most of all, she hated where she was seated.

It just so happened that the table for the teams from Japan- minus the World Champion and his partner- was basically in the center of all the surrounding tables.

The long banquet table was at the opposite end of the hall, directly across where they were sitting. To get to the table you had to cross the wooden dance floor, with the DJ in the far left corner. Tables for the other teams were placed to the edge of the dance floor to the back of the room.

The tables were circular and anywhere she sat her back was either to an exit or another table. It was this that was putting her completely on edge.

"Amara, calm down." Michelle whispered, placing a hand on her friend's bare shoulder. She couldn't blame Amara she was uptight as well. She hated the seating arrangement just as much as the Death Wing.

The indistinct chatter around them masked Amara's words so Michelle could just barely hear her. "I'll calm down once I get out of here, out of this dress, and back in our hotel room. My nerves are frayed enough as it is."

They technically had only been there for just above ten minutes, dinner had yet to be served, and there were a few different teams that were still showing up and greeting each other. Soft music was playing in the background and even a few people could already be found on the dance floor; Ari and Reno were one of those couples. Haru was nowhere to be found though.

Michelle glanced up to see that Rei and Kai were heading towards them and a soft smile found it's way to her lips.

Before Rei could greet them, Amara stood up. "I'm going out for some air." She stated curtly.

Kai watched her leave and he found himself surprised how different she seemed. The gown she wore was a strapless dark green that matched her eyes and reached the floor. It had black sequence embroidering the bust and along the stitching and hem. Despite how much Amara complained about the heels, her walk was still graceful but filled with the aura of barely contained power. Her hair was pulled back loosely in a clip that allowed the waves and curls to rest on her bare shoulders and frame her face.

No one could deny the fact that she looked stunning.

Rei found himself staring at Michelle. She had stood up to protest Amara's abrupt departure, but her objections had fallen on deaf ears.

Michelle was dressed in a silver gown that reached the floor. It was one strap that left her right shoulder bare. There was no design on it, no accents; it was just a plain silver dress. Still, it suited Michelle greatly and the icy color of her eyes was accentuated.

Michelle sat back down in a huff. "She better not be trying to find a way to escape this place." She mumbled under her breath.

Rei took the sit that Amara had vacated and Kai took the one next to him. "She won't really try to get out of here?"

Michelle glanced up at him. Her eyes did a quick glance at his attire, and she found herself approving immensely. "Probably not, but it is Amara."

Kai listened idly to their talk, his eyes roving over the people. Out of the corner of his eye he thought he saw…

"Kai?" Michelle's voice caught him off guard.

"What's wrong?" Rei pressed when Kai didn't respond in the normal 'Kai-response-time'.

"I thought I saw someone." Kai answered.

"Who?" Michelle inquired.

Kai shook his head. "No one."

* * *

Amara walked as quickly as she could out of the banquet hall. It was too stifling in there and she had no idea how she was going to manage staying in there for God knows how many hours. She stood at the top of the stairs of the forum; quite a few people were congregated on the first floor. They were probably wandering from the banquet hall to other parts of the building while waiting for the dinner to begin. 

She didn't head down the stairs; instead she walked further down the hallway. At the end was an opened door that leads out on a balcony. She stepped outside and shivered when a breeze brushed over her skin. Leaning forward on the railing, Amara let out a sigh. Absently, she brushed back a stray lock of hair that crossed her line of vision.

Arama stirred slightly, only in vague interest, before closing herself off again. Tiamat let out a low growl that rumbled in the back of Amara's mind.

She felt more than heard someone come up behind her. Her proverbial hackles rose.

"Good to see you, Amara."

* * *

Reno and Ari walked off the wooden floor, smiles upon their faces as they made their way back to the table. 

"Good evening." Ari greeted Kai and Rei politely before taking the empty seat on Michelle's left. Reno took his spot next to her.

"Good evening, Ari." Rei replied with a slight bow of his head.

"I take it Amara is not taking this well." Reno remarked. "Seeing that she's not here, I assume she went out to get some 'fresh air', which is another way of sayin' she's trying to escape."

Michelle chuckled. "Basically. But I trust her enough that she won't actually try to leave."

"Yeah, Michelle, you'll just get on her case, calling her a coward and whatnot if she did manage to find a way to leave." Ari commented.

"Truthfully, I'm tempted to attempt an escape as well." Michelle admitted. "This setup is torture."

"You too?" This question surprisingly came from Kai.

Michelle gave a slow blink before regaining her composure. "Yeah, it's one of the reason why Amara needed to get out."

"Only one of the reasons?" Rei repeated. "And pray tell, what would be one of the other reasons?"

Michelle smirked. "Who knows, except for Amara. But I might have an idea."

"Rei?" Ari spoke up. "Where are the others?"

"Tyson, Max and Hillary are around somewhere greeting some old rivals and I think Kenny is discussing something with Mr. D."

"Mr. D?" Reno questioned before realization dawned on him. "You mean Mr. Dickinson."

Rei nodded.

For a moment silence passed over the group but it was broken by a rumbling.

Michelle blushed slightly. "When are they going to start that dinner?"

* * *

Kenny, at the moment, seriously regretted leaving Dizzi back at the hotel. "Mr. Dickinson, are you positive?" 

"Yes, Kenny." The older man replied.

"But he was disqualified!" Kenny protested. "How can he still participate?"

"Apparently his name was already down for the World Championships even before he was disqualified. For the countries individual tournament, or the World Championships' preliminaries, disqualifications in one country will not be the same. Though he was disqualified in Japan he still qualified in Russia. The only way someone can participate in the prelims is if he or she is a citizen of said country. They managed a way to get around the system."

"This isn't good." Kenny moaned.

* * *

Amara's hands gripped the railing so tightly that her knuckles turned white. "I would love say 'likewise', but then I would be lying, Damian." Amara ground out before turning to face the wielder of Black Dranzer, the one who once had the name Demon Wing. 

He seemed to have changed in the short time from the last she had seen him. He looked taller. In truth, he did gain a few more inches, but more so, he seemed much more confidant.

_Cocky bastard. _Tiamat remarked and Amara readily agreed.

Damian sauntered over, his hands in the pockets of his black slacks. He leaned back against the rail next to Amara. He wore a dark red shirt that looked like silk with the top few buttons undone.

"What do you want, Damian?" Amara snapped. He turned his head to look at her, a smirk on his face. She recoiled; his chocolate eyes gave her a sense of foreboding, a deep feeling in her gut that something bad was going to happen.

"This banquet is for the teams to make friendly ties before the tournament starts." Damian replied. "Or to fix past grievances."

"Liar."

He chuckled. "You're right, but I had to try." Damian straightened and stood in front of her.

Amara immediately felt the 'fight or flight' instincts kick in, at war with each other. Her eyes glanced around for an escape.

Damian took a step forward, pressing closer. Amara bent back slightly over the rail just to keep the distance between them. Their knees bumped and Amara realized that there was no other escape, besides jumping over the rail, so she readied herself for a fight.

"Tonight I'm just another person from another team." Damian spoke softly. He grabbed her arm and pulled her forward, bringing their faces within inches of each other. "May I have a dance?" His smirk shifted into a grin.

Amara felt his breath brush across her lips and face and shivered. The grip on her arm was beginning to numb, no doubt it would leave a nice bruise. Soon all she saw were the dark eyes that were partially veiled by a black fringe. She felt like she was drowning.

After a moment, she smirked up at him. "Sure, I'll take that dance." She moved up against him, the line of their bodies touching. Those inches separating their faces turned to centimeters. He barely seemed able to suppress the shudder that ran through his spine.

Though she was smirking, Amara's eyes promised nothing short of murder.

* * *

Kenny came rushing back into the banquet hall. A few teams gave him weird looks as he ran past their tables but he ignored them. In his rush he wasn't expecting someone to suddenly stand up and cross his path. 

Kenny ran headfirst into the wall of flesh. He bounced back and landed hard on his rump. He looked up and up to see a pair of squinty eyes and a mop of dark hair.

"Chief?" A voice inquired behind the large teen. A boy stepped into view and held out a tapped hand to help the small mechanic up. The boy had wild dark hair pulled back into a ponytail, so wild that it almost resembled a mane. He almost looked feral, but his eyes had a friendliness to them.

"Lee?" Kenny took the hand and the strong grip pulled him up to his feet.

"Are the others around?" The larger boy, Gary, asked.

"Yeah, I'm heading over to our table right now."

"Maraiah is looking for Rei." The captain of the White Tigers remarked. "Oh, I heard 'bout the other team that came with you. I would like to meet them."

"Michelle and Amara?" Kenny started walking again. "Yeah, I think I can introduce you. Is Kevin with Maraiah?"

"Yeah." Lee answered.

They finally came to Japan's table. Rei stood up when he saw his former team and old friends. "Lee! I was wondering when I would see you again!" He walked around the table to and the two clasped each other's wrists in greeting.

"Rei." Lee nodded a smile fixed in place. His eyes fell on Kai and he inclined his head in acknowledgement. He then turned his attention to the unfamiliar faces. "Which one of you is Amara and which is Michelle?"

Michelle got to her feet and bowed slightly. "I'm Michelle. Amara isn't here at the moment. But these two are Reno and Ari and Haru is around here somewhere." She glanced up at Gary before turning back to Lee. "I take it you're Lee, captain of the White Tigers and you're companion is Gary. Am I right?"

"Yeah, I'm Gary. The other members, Maraiah and Kevin, are out somewhere." The big teen answered.

"It's nice to meet both of you." Ari remarked. Her face seemed to brighten. "Haru, it's about time you showed up!"

Lee turned around to see the black clad, platinum haired boy standing behind him. _How come I didn't hear him come up behind me?_

"Hillary said she'll be here in a minute. She's talking with a pink-haired girl." Haru answered.

"That'll be Maraiah." Rei explained to the other Wingz Corp.

Michelle turned to Ari and Reno mouthing the word _Pink? _to them. They shrugged in response.

Kai suddenly stood up, his eyes narrowing in a fierce glare. Michelle noted that there was a flicker of bright flame within the crimson depths of his eyes. _His _Unity _with Dranzer is growing stronger. _She noted.

"Kai, what is it?" Rei had instinctively tensed, preparing for a fight.

"Its Amara." Kai answered.

Reno followed Kai's gaze and saw Amara being led into the hall by someone he thought he would never see again. "No fucking way…"

Ari didn't even reprimand him for cursing. She even let out her very own "Damn."

Michelle joined Kai in standing. "What the hell is he doing here? I thought he was disqualified." She practically growled.

_What is he doing with Amara? And why the hell is Amara even going along with him? _Bahamut questioned.

_I don't know. _Michelle replied.

"I was just talking about him with Mr. Dickinson." Kenny started. "He passed us when we were talking, that's when Mr. Dickinson explained the situation. Apparently Damian had competed in the Russian tournament winning that one. But since they run the tournaments differently in different countries because of the varying Beyblading Corporations that are in charge of the each separate tournament. He may have been disqualified in Japan but he still can participate because he still has his Russian ranking. There's this loophole in the system were basically any team could compete in another country's tournament apart from their own just as long as they are a registered citizen of whatever country it is."

"What about Damian's partner?" Rei asked.

"I have no idea." Kenny admitted.

"Do you have some quarrel with this Damian?" Lee asked.

"Like you wouldn't believe." Michelle answered.

"And that girl who is being dragged to the dance floor, is that Amara?" He watched the duo make their way.

"Yes." Kai answered.

"They both seem to be very powerful." Lee mumbled to himself.

They didn't miss he's remark; they just didn't bother commenting on it. However, the same reply was going through all of their minds.

_Like you wouldn't believe._

* * *

Amara and Damian weaved their way through the tables. Damian had a tight grip on her wrist as he led her to the floor. Amara caught sight of Michelle and the others around the table, even two she didn't recognize. She noted the other couples that were still dancing to the slow music as they waited for the dinner to start. 

Amara's heels clacked against the wooden floor, she felt different. _Tiamat, I feel cold…_

_Get away from him, Amara! _Tiamat practically begged.

_I would if I could, but for some reason, I can't. I feel like I have no strength left. _She paused. _Arama? Is she still weakened?_

_Wha- Yes! _Tiamat answered quickly. Through their link, he also could feel some of strange sensations of fire and ice that Amara was feeling. _Please, Amara, try to get away!_

Amara was suddenly whipped forward. Damian had switched his grip to her hand, crushing her fingers together, while his other hand rested upon her hip. As he pulled her closer, he drove his thumb into the fall of her left hip, gratified when he saw Amara wince.

She scowled at him before placing her free hand on his shoulder, her own thumb brushing across his collarbone through the silk shirt.

Damian's grin was like one of those cat-caught-the-canary grins. He grasped her hip tighter and pulled her along the slow music.

Something akin to ice ran through Amara's blood, every part of her felt frozen even though she could still move. It was so cold that it burned. Or was it that it was so hot that it froze? Freezing fire that was the oxymoron she gave it.

Gritting her teeth, Amara applied pressure to his collarbone. His shit-eating grin was replaced by a grimace as Amara pressed her thumb harder; she felt a ripple of smug satisfaction run through her despite the circumstances. What could she say, his pain made her a bit happier.

However, she still couldn't shake the feeling of 'wrongness'.

Their dance was nothing like a dance- to the eyes of one who could read body language and the lines of tension and hatred that flowed between the two. It was like watching two predators prowl about each other, wary of every move, but still probing to advance forward and overpower.

"I will destroy you, Amara." Damian whispered so that only she could hear him. "And Black Dranzer and I will enjoy it immensely." His hold tightened again.

Amara suppressed the urge to shiver. She glowered up at him, her green eyes smoldering with Tiamat's black flames. "I would love to see you try."

The song ended and they pulled apart. Damian put on an innocent grin. "Thank you for the dance, Amara. Be seeing you around." He gave a small bow and turned on his heel.

Amara let out a shaky breath, a breath she didn't realize she was holding. Her hand went to her left hip, the one that Damian had gripped. Wincing when her finger brush over the fall of her hip, Amara muttered a quiet, "Damn." She glared daggers at his back as he made his way back to his assigned table. Turning to walk off the wooden floor, she found that Michelle was giving her a worried look from her seat. She walked over and sat down ignoring everyone at the table, which consisted of everyone from both Wingz and the BladeBreakers minus Tyson and Max but including two new faces.

"What did Damian want?" Michelle practically demanded. "And what is he doing here?"

"Apparently, he's in the tournament. He's registered on another team." Amara answered, crossing her arms over her chest. She still felt 'wrong', if that was any way to explain it, and cold.

Hillary, who had come to join them when they were watching the two adversaries dance, found the table Damian was seated at. "It looks like he's from one of the Russian teams," She then realized that the table was shared with the two German teams and between the five; there were no other seats.

Of course they already knew he was from the Russian team.

"I think that Damian's partner decided not to come or something." Kenny remarked absently.

"Amara?" Ari tentatively began, reaching out to touch her shoulder. She drew back her hand quickly, as if she had been burned. "You're as cold as ice!"

"I would really like to go." Amara stated. "Now."

"The dinner is about to start." Rei spoke up. He didn't like the idea that Damian was participating in the tournament after what happened last time. Then there was the fact that he still had Black Dranzer as a partner. "You shouldn't leave just yet, Mr. Dickinson dropped the hint that there will be some announcement about the tournament."

"Well, I'm sure someone could tell me all about it if I asked." Amara snapped.

Kai watched the interaction of those at the table. Amara seemed not to care what anyone was saying, she wanted out of the place, and the sooner the better for the sake of the innocents.

"I want to be out of here in 20 minutes." Amara ground out.

"Amara, just the first course of this dinner will probably take that long." Reno placated.

"And just how many courses are there?"

"Four." Haru said.

"Then there's that announcement." Hillary remarked. "Who knows how long Mr. Dickinson will talk."

Amara wrapped her arms around her stomach, wincing slightly. A wince that did not go unnoticed by Kai, Michelle, or Haru as she gingerly fingered her side. They all seemed like they wanted to ask what was wrong but refrained from doing so.

Lee and Gary stood by; wisely keeping their silence, realizing that this was something they shouldn't get involved in, at least, at the moment. They politely excused themselves to return to their table.

_I can sense Black Dranzer's corruption clearly. _Dranzer remarked. Her voice had a sharp edge to it, as if speaking the name left a bad taste. _It lingers in the air around Amara._

_You can sense Black Dranzer's corruption?_

_Yes. It seems even more potent. _Dranzer paused slightly before continuing. _Black Dranzer is, in a way, essentially me. An opposite if you will._

_Damian must have done something to her. _Kai noted.

_There is no doubt, _Dranzer concurred, _that he used Black Dranzer's corruption against her. To do what? I do not know._

"Excuse me, if I may have everyone's attention." The BBA chairmen stood at the long banquet table. Tyson was sitting on his left with Max next to him. The rest of the table was filled with other BBA officials from different countries, judges, and even the official referee, Jazzman, was seated there.

The teams that were out in the foyer started to file in and head to their tables while Mr. Dickinson waited patiently for them to get situated.

Rei caught sight of a few familiar faces at this time. There was Johnny and Robert from the Majestics, Michael and the rest of the All-Starz, and he saw Maraiah and Kevin make their way over to Lee and Gary.

Mr. Dickinson cleared his throat. "I would like to thank you all for coming. I realize that not all the teams are here tonight but many still decided to come. I would like to welcome the guests that came with their respective teams and I hope that they will enjoy the tournaments. Also, a special thanks to the BBA of America and their director, Judy Tate, for putting together this wonderful dinner." There was a polite applause before he continued. "Now, some announcements regarding the operation of this tournament. As you all know, there are five major tournaments in America, Europe, Russia, China, and Japan, the tournament here in America will be done a little differently. As stated in the letter you received after qualifying, the World Championship will start with pool play, but the point of this tournament in America is to separate you into your pools. To do this, there will be a number of different trials. I would like to say more on this topic but that would ruin the whole surprise." He gave a small chuckle. "If you have any more questions see either your coach, BBA director or sponsor. Now, I think we held up dinner long enough. So in closing, enjoy your meal and enjoy the tournament." Mr. Dickinson gave a small bow and took his seat.

The doors leading into the hall opened and caterers pushed the first course of the meal on trolleys to different parts of the room. The tinkling of silverware and idle chatter echoed through the hall. After about twenty minutes the next course came through and another twenty minutes went by before the main course was finally served.

Amara touched nothing. She knew Michelle was shooting her pointed glares about her not eating anything. Not only Michelle, but also the rest of Wingz Corp were giving her looks. She didn't care though. The only thing that mattered at the moment was her glaring holes in the back of Damian's head.

If looks could kill, may Damian be buried thrice over, but not before having his skin flayed from his bones and being burned, while his fingers and toes were broken and, just for kicks, having the crows pierce his eyes. That still didn't give Amara's glare credit.

Dinner went on peacefully; there was actually enough food for Tyson to eat his heart's, or more appropriately, his stomach's content. He chatted animatedly with Max as he calmly sipped at his drink.

Back at the table that sat the two teams from Japan, everyone decided that it might for the better of their health to just leave Amara alone and continue with their own dinners.

Kai leaned over, just barely, to whisper something to Amara. He was quiet enough and discreet enough that no one else noticed, or if they did, they figured it best not to say anything. "You should eat something."

Amara removed her glare from Damian and placed it on Kai. Everyone in the whole room faded out, like they were engulfed in a shadow and their voices muted, leaving the two bladers to their conversation. "Are you my keeper now?" She snapped and before he could give her an answer she stated, "I'm fine."

Kai scoffed. "You sure look like you're fine."

"Back off, Kai." She growled her hands clenched into fists in her lap, her nails threatening to break skin.

"What did Damian do to you?" Kai pressed.

"Nothing." Amara answered sharply. "Besides living."

"If it is truly nothing, then tell me why Dranzer can sense the corruption of Black Dranzer around you."

"It's probably just because I was around him."

"No, it's not that." Kai gave his head a small shake. "It doesn't linger around you. Dranzer said it's covering, choking your own power."

Amara turned away and stared at her hands, forcing them to unclench. Deep crescent moon indents were left in her palms. "Just drop it, please."

Kai did just that. He reached over and placed a hand on her arm. It was just a short moment of contact, not even a touch but more of a brush of his hand against the cool skin of her arm. But even for just that second, Amara seemed to relax. She even took a bite of the meal in front of her.

* * *

A/N: "You see, I wasn't expecting to put anything up until december, but here I am and here it is. It is a little longer than normal and I'm not sure whether I'm sorry about that or what...

I hope you enjoyed this chapter and this is probably all there is going to be at the banquet, unless you guys request/suggest something... Truthfully, I haven't even started working on the next chapter (once again NaNoWriMo) so ideas would be nice to jumpstart my imagination again.

Please notify me of any glaring mistakes and whatnot and leave a review! Reviews really make my day much better and I love hearing what you guys think!


	29. Chapter 28

A/N: "I apologize for the long wait, but I do have my reasons. Most of them being stress, sickness, school, concerts, sports, and the like. But here is the next chapter.

* * *

The dinner was soon over and the teams hung around the hall. They chatted, danced, and joked with each other. Soon the teams started to slowly make their ways out and back to their hotels. The Wingz Corp managed to slip out without the BladeBreakers notice and were soon on their way back.

The group rode in silence. They all had tried to enjoy themselves, well most of them, but the black cloud known as Damian hung over them. They somewhat managed to convince the BladeBreakers that they were okay, but even that was met with skepticism. Finally reaching the hotel from a car ride that never seemed to end, they walked through the doors and squinted at the light.

It appeared as if the lights in the hotel lobby were brighter just to show off how pallid Amara's skin was. There were no shadows to hide the fact that her hands were shaking, no way to conceal the fact that her normal fluid gait, even in heels, was faltering. She stopped in the middle of the lobby, the lights were a burning spotlight for no audience, save the one receptionist who as at her computer playing a game of Solitaire and the rest of the Wingz.

They carefully approached her. "Amara?" Michelle ventured, taking one more step.

Amara took a deep and shaky breath and exhaled. "I think I'm going to be sick."

Ari and Reno exchanged glances that were filled with worry. Maybe things were worst than they first had thought. Amara always had a strong immune system; she could stand out in the rain for hours wearing nothing but a tank and shorts and not even get a sniffle. If she ever were sick, she would never admit it and add the fact that it's extremely difficult to tell. Along with a strong resilience against illness in the first place, it was also theorized that because of the _Unity _with Tiamat there was a constant healing factor. This was the first time in any of their presences that she had admitted to being sick.

Haru strode up to her and placed an arm around her shoulders and hesitated for a moment, giving her the chance to pull away like she normally would. Much to everyone's surprise she leaned even more into him. Haru bent down and hooked his other arm under her knees and lifted her up in his arms.

Ari walked over and smoothed out Amara's dress that had bunched up. She realized that Amara had her eyes closed with the slightest furrow of her brow, as she no doubt conversed with Tiamat.

Amara glanced around the familiar gray void in her subconscious mind. In less then a second, Tiamat's form emerged from the stillness. His ebony scales lost their gleaming luster and his wings drooped limply. Judging by the sudden flow of worry through their link, Amara speculated that she didn't look any better.

"Tiamat, what's happening to us?" Her fingers ran over the scales of his face and head.

Tiamat nudged his forehead against her chest, exhaling deeply. "Damian. Kai hit the nail right on the head when he said that Black Dranzer's power is surrounding you…us." A low growl erupted in the back of his throat, vibrating through Amara's body.

"Interesting…" The arrogant voice came from the void.

Amara turned around to see her other half standing before her.

Shackles were clamped tightly around her wrists, but she still stood jauntily, a hand on one hip and her weight on that same side. Her lips were curled up in a feral grin. "It sure has been an interesting night, hasn't it?"

Green met amber as the two glared each other down. Arama took a few steps forward until the chains became taut and she could go no further. "Imagine my surprise when I saw that Damian there. Who knew he had such power and confidence. Enough power to make you agree to dance with him." She chuckled. "It's amazing how much energy that boy has, even without Black Dranzer, but that extra bit of power just adds so much more appeal. Can you feel it, my opposite? Black Dranzer's power is coursing its way through our blood, weakening you but empowering me. I've let you have your small reprieve, Amara, but it won't last much longer." To further her point, she pulled her arms forward. The chains stretched and groaned in protest while the shackles bit deeply into her wrists.

Amara feared that the bindings that took much of Tiamat and her own energy to construct were going to break.

"You won't get out." Tiamat growled. "We will find a way to keep you locked up for good."

Arama laugh, causing Amara to flinch at her voice. "You can hold onto your false hopes if it makes you feel better." She allowed herself to sink back into the grayness, leaving the two alone.

Amara ducked her head, covering her eyes with her right hand, and took a deep breath. "I really am going to be sick."

"Go back, Amara." The dragon gave her a small nudge. "I'll do what I can here."

* * *

Haru carefully sat Amara on the couch in the girls' room. He took a step back when he saw her eyes open and give a slow blink.

"Amara?" It didn't matter who asked it. At her name, Amara focused on those around her before paling. She shot up and bolted towards the bathroom, slamming the door shut behind her.

"I'll make sure she's all right." Ari remarked. She strode over to the bathroom door and knocked lightly. "I'm coming in, Amara." She announced. With that said, she turned the knob and slipped inside, making sure to close the door was she was through.

Reno threw himself into a chair. "What a night." He mumbled as he slouched down, no doubt wrinkling his shirt. "I can already foresee how this tournament is going to turn out."

"Is that bitterness I sense, Reno?" Michelle asked, folding her cloak over the back of the couch. She stood, still in her silver dress, facing him with her arms crossed over her chest. "It's going to be tough, that's how it's going to turn out." She didn't give him time remark and went on, "There is very little doubt in my mind that we'll pull through."

"But there's still doubt, Michelle." Reno pointed out. "Even if it's just a little bit, there's still doubt."

"I can't go through this tournament without being the least bit cautious and doubtful, not with all that has happened thus far." Michelle countered.

"Michelle, did you and Amara enter this tournament for the title or is there something else?" Haru inquired. "Why now, of all times, did the Wingz Corp decide to participate?"

"What?" Michelle was momentarily stunned by the questioning.

"Yeah, why now? We could've easily enter in the previous tournaments, hell we probably could've defeated Tyson and gained the World Champion title for ourselves." Reno picked up Haru's thought.

Michelle was finally able to retrieve her bearings. "Why not now?" She shot back. "Maybe we didn't enter before because it wasn't going to be a challenge and now it is."

Reno mirrored Michelle's stance as he crossed his own arms, only he was sitting down and she wasn't. "That's a weak defense, Michelle, and you know it."

She glowered at the two of them. "I don't need to explain myself to you."

"Well maybe it's a good time to start." Reno snapped.

* * *

"I'm coming in Amara."

_Don't. Don't. _Amara thought as she leaned over the sink, her eyes shut tightly and her arms trembling. She was on the verge of hyperventilating, but somehow managed to control her breathing.

_Amara? _Tiamat's inquiry was echoed by Ari. "Amara?" She shut the door behind her and took a tentative step towards the redhead. "Amara?" She tried again to get a reaction from her.

"I'm fine, Ari." Amara finally answered, but even to her, her voice sounded skeptical. With more force than she intended, she turned on the faucet and ran her hands under the cooling water before splashing her face. Looking in the mirror for the first time since she entered the bathroom, Amara was shocked to see how, for lack of a better word, horrible she looked. Her skin was ghostly pale against the dark green of her dress and her eyes were wide, the pupils leaving only a small ring a green. There was a sudden urge to giggle that bubbled up inside of her. She felt that horrible and that weak that she wanted to do nothing more than to laugh at herself, to laugh at how pitiful and feeble she felt. She managed to suppress the urge and gazed directly at Ari's reflection. "Don't worry about me."

"How can we not worry about you, Amara?" She asked as she grabbed one of the small washcloths that were hanging on the back of the door along with other linens. She moved up along side of Amara and soaked the cloth under the running water, directing Amara to sit on the edge of the bathtub.

Amara sat down and placed her head in her hands, a headache was beginning to build up just behind her right eye and she knew that it would spread. She was slightly alarmed when Ari placed the cool, wet cloth on the back of her neck, lifting her hair out from under it to rest on the bare skin. "Hey, Ari?"

"Hm?" Ari sat down next to Amara.

"Could you grab me a change of clothes. I need a shower." She glanced at the blonde through the corner of her eye.

Ari stood up and smoothed down her dress. She gave Amara a small smile. "Sure, I'll be right back."

Amara watched Ari leave, catching parts of an argument that was going on between Michelle and Reno when she opened the door. She slid the cloth off her neck and placed it in the sink, before going back to the tub to turn the water on to a scalding hot temperature. Letting the water run and the steam fill the room, she carefully undressed.

* * *

After about ten minutes after the Wingz Corp left, the BladeBreakers were finally ready to leave as well. They said their goodbyes to Mr. Dickinson and piled into the same limo that took them. While the ride back for the Wingz was quiet, the BladeBreakers took this time to chat the banquet.

Tyson was telling everyone about all he saw from his seat at the head table, describing the different teams he saw there and their guests that they brought with them. The others were content on letting him do the talking.

Max took this moment to speak up. "I counted at least twelve other teams there. Some of which we know but most of them are new competitors. There were the teams from Germany, Australia, and Egypt that are staying at the same hotel we are but I also saw teams from Brazil and there's a Wildcard team too."

"I spoke with Johnny from the Majestics." Tyson went on. "He's teamed up with Robert, representing Great Britain. He was saying that Enrique is also participating with a different partner, representing Italy. He said that Oliver didn't make it in. They don't know if it's because he didn't want to or not."

"None of the Russian teams were there, except for Damian." Max quietly remarked.

Tyson paused, his face losing its carefree expression. "I can't believe that he's back."

"Neither can I." Max agreed. "However, I'm more worried about who his partner is going to be, since he didn't show up at the party."

The mood in the limo changed dramatically as the group tried to imagine who Damian's partner will be. They thought of previous Russian opponents and hoped that none of them ended up stuck with the wielder of Black Dranzer.

Tyson spoke up again. "Amara looked almost scared when she started to dance with him, scared and in pain."

"Do you think he did something to her?" Hillary asked, thinking the worst.

"Like what?" Tyson countered. "Besides maybe holding her too tight."

"Hillary's right," Rei agreed, "Amara was most likely alone when she encountered him."

"Black Dranzer." Kai stated, causing everyone to turn to him. His arms were crossed over his chest and his eyes were closed. "Damian transferred some of Black Dranzer's corruption into Amara."

"How did you find out?" Kenny asked.

"Did she tell you?" Rei continued, examining the captain of the BladeBreakers.

"No," Kai answered, "Dranzer was able to sense it."

Tyson flung himself back against his seat, "I know we should help them because we've involved with Black Dranzer before, but this time this whole thing has nothing to do with us! I mean for once we can go through a World Championship without worrying about BioVolt or some other crazy plot to take over the world or something!"

"But it's Black Dranzer, Tyson!" Max pleaded.

"Still, they haven't officially asked for our help." Tyson added. "We've offered it to them a number of times, but they never really agreed."

"You may think that way, Tyson," Rei said with a worn smile, "but we all know you're still going to help."

"Yeah, yeah, don't rub it in." Tyson mumbled.

* * *

They arrived at the hotel around midnight. The same receptionist that witnessed the Wingz Corp's entrance was still at the desk, now playing Free Cell. She barely gave them acknowledgement. They entered the elevator and headed up to their floor.

Hillary and Tyson were the first to exit, followed by Max and Kenny, then Kai and Rei. The made their way down the hall to the boys' room. Hillary paused at the room she shared with Amara, Ari, and Michelle but refrained from entering.

The thought of visiting them before turning in was in all of their minds but when they heard the angry voices of Michelle and Reno it was wiped away instantly.

"Reno, back off." Michelle's voice came muffled through the door. There was a moment of silence before her voice was heard again. "What stopped you from entering? You didn't need Amara's or my blessing to take part if you really wanted to." There was a scathing edge to her voice.

"It sure as hell didn't seem that way!" Reno snapped. There was a loud _thud _and the BladeBreakers could imagine the coffee table being over turned.

Tyson pulled Hillary away from the door, pushing the others to back up as well. They could feel the heat coming from the room in waves and there was a faint smell of burning sulfur.

"It felt like we had to come to you or Amara to get permission for anything!" The heat intensified, causing sweat to begin trickling down their spines.

"If you really felt that way why didn't you say something?" Michelle's voice came quietly, barely audible. The temperature in the hallway dropped from being to the point of unbearably hot to the other end of the spectrum.

"Do you think we should ask them what's wrong?" Hillary whispered, afraid if she spoke too loud the Wingz would hear her. She ran her hands up and down her arms, failing to chase away the goose bumps that marched along her skin.

"Reno, Michelle, enough." Haru's voice actually sounded annoyed, exasperated even. "The question was just an inquiry out of curiosity, nothing more. I didn't think it would evolve into an argument."

"I think Haru's got it under control, Hillary." Tyson stated and started to pull Hillary along with him to their room. "But you should probably wait before going to bed until Haru and Reno leave." Max and Kenny began to follow Tyson's lead, but Kai and Rei were left standing in the hallway.

"What are you thinking, Kai?" Rei asked, his voice just above a whisper.

Kai didn't answer. He listened carefully as he heard Ari's voice come out of nowhere. "Maybe you guys should save this argument for another time if you even plan on continuing it. Amara's practically in shock right now and here you are having petty quarrels."

"Why wouldn't she be?" Reno's voice came through. "The person who murdered her appears when she least expects it, asks for a dance, all the while pretending nothing's wrong."

"Let's go." Kai said suddenly enough that his voice caused Rei to jump. He started to walk away from the door.

Rei took one last glance back before catching up with Kai. "By the sound of it what Damian did to Amara really has her vulnerable."

Kai paused in front of the door to their own room. "Tomorrow is the last day we have before the tournament." He let out the smallest of sighs. "I want no contact with Wingz."

"What?" Rei was surprised at the order. "Why?"

"We can't lose focus even before the tournament begins. Once things get going then I'll allow it. Plus whatever is going on is technically none of our business, but somehow we still managed to get ourselves pulled in. I want to stay out of most of it for as long as possible." With that said, Kai pushed open the door and walked in.

Rei watched the door close on its own, shutting him out. "And just how are we suppose to stay out of contact with them when we room with two of them and Hillary rooms with the other three?" He let out a sigh before opening the door.

* * *

Ari held the folded clothes close to her chest as she glared at the three. Her eyes took in the overturned table that was placed in front of the couch but now was on its top a few feet away, the things placed on it were either scattered or crushed. "I'm going to go check on Amara and when I come back out I want this place picked up." She strode passed them and walked into the bathroom.

Reno let out a frustrated sigh and went to pick up the table that he practically threw. Haru followed his lead and started to collect the papers and table ornaments that were scattered. Michelle just stood there, watching the two boys pick up. She crossed her arms over her chest and bowed her head in thought.

Michelle? 

_Bahamut, this tournament is tearing us apart._

_You really don't believe that, do you? _ He asked, slight concern in his voice.

_I don't know what to believe anymore. Ever since we decided to participate in the tournament, things have been getting worse! _Michelle snapped. _Amara is getting into things that she never would have before since she wanted to become stronger to win, if she hadn't tried to gain _Perfect Unity _she never would have found out about her berserker side, Arama. And if we hadn't decided to participate Damian would have never felt the need to betray us, he could've just left, but he didn't because we, too, were planning to take part. _

_But then again, you would have never gotten the chance to meet Rei. Or Amara would never have gotten the chance to meet Kai, which I believe has done her some good despite of things. _Bahamut remarked, placating.

Michelle watched Reno and Haru move around her as they cleaned things up. She didn't reply to Bahamut, she had no argument against what he said. It was true, she was glad to have met Rei and the rest of BladeBreakers and would never have it any other way, but it just seemed like everything and everyone was against them at the moment. She looked up when Ari walked out of the bathroom.

"I would've expected better of you." Ari remarked, looking very much like a vengeful angel, still in her white dress while her hair was let down in a cascade of loose curls.

Reno had the grace to look embarrassed. "I'm sorry, Ari."

Ari let out a sigh. "You two should probably head off to your room. The BladeBreakers should be back by now and no doubt Hillary wants to go to bed." She walked passed them to the bedroom door.

"Ari?" Reno took a step towards her.

"Reno, just go to bed." With that said, Ari turned her back to him and wouldn't give him another look or word. She stood there in front of the door, not moving to open it.

Reno fought back the hurt look that threatened his features. He glanced at Michelle and Haru before shaking his head. "I'm going to bed." His back was a rigid line as he exited the room.

Ari turned from the door, her face wiped clean of any emotion, and her doe eyes were hard, betraying nothing. She could contend with the best for that blank, cold, 'cop' look. She leaned up against the back of the couch, her legs crossed at the ankles.

The bathroom door open and Amara walked out in a rush of steam, clad in black shorts and a loose fitting black tank. She gave no regard to the three remaining Wingz and went straight to the bedroom.

Haru ran a hand through his platinum hair. "Goodnight." He offered and left.

The two girls were left in silence.

"Ari, what's happening to us?" Michelle suddenly asked.

"What do you mean, Michelle?" Ari responded, her back to her.

"Amara is growing more powerful but more uncontrollable. You and Reno are fighting; you never fight, not like this. And I… I have no idea what's going on." Michelle sat down on the couch and placed her head in her hands.

"I don't know what's happening, Michelle, I really don't. As for Reno and I fighting, all couples fight, it was bound to happen. It's because of all the stress we're under. And don't worry, none of us understand what's going on, if anything, you know more than we do." Ari sighed.

"I wish I could tell you." Michelle said solemnly.

"I wish you could too, Michelle." Ari placed a hand on Michelle's bare shoulder. "But a promise is a promise. I'm just tired and I want this to end." The two of them remained there in the living room of their hotel room. Not caring how long they were up, the two of them waited in silence.

* * *

It wasn't until around two in the morning that everyone was finally tucked into their beds. Many were asleep, some peacefully others not so peacefully. Michelle lay on her back, fingers laced behind her head as she stared up at the unfamiliar ceiling. She let out a small sigh and glanced over at her partner, who was curled into a tight ball, her back facing Michelle. "Amara, what happened?" She whispered. She knew Amara wouldn't answer since she went to bed long before the others, but Michelle was surprised to hear her voice.

"What do you think happened?" Michelle found a pair of dark green eyes staring up at her as Amara spoke in a voice just above a whisper..

"How long have you been awake?"

"Hw long have you been waiting to ask me what happened?" Amara countered with another one of her own questions.

"Stop evading the subject." Michelle snapped. She exhaled sharply through her nose, realizing just how close she was to shouting. "I've been waiting to ask since we left the banquet."

"Then that's how long I've been awake."

"But you went to bed-"

Amara cut her off. "It's quite obvious that just because I went to bed doesn't mean I was sleeping." She sat up slowly, stiff from lying in a tightly curled ball.

Michelle's eyes narrowed as she remembered something. "How's your side?"

Amara winced at the thought of it. "Bruised and sore. Basically, it hurts like hell." She wasn't exactly lying; it was close enough to the truth that Michelle wouldn't catch her. She was true, that was true, and bruised, even though technically it wasn't exactly a bruise.

_Michelle? _Bahamut's voice brushed through her mind. Michelle waited for him to continue while she studied Amara. _I would almost say that she is lying, but I don't know if it is just me not her the benefit of a doubt, her being uncomfortable, or she is actually lying but covering up extremely well._

Amara and Michelle laid facing each other in silence; Michelle scrutinized Amara, while Amara passively stared back.

"Go to sleep Michelle." Amara finally spoke up.

"Answer this first, Amara. Can you still fight?"

Amara's eyes narrowed, revealing her disapproval and offense at the question. "I will fight, Michelle, and more." With that said Amara rolled onto her side, turning her back to Michelle, effectively ending the conversation.

Michelle let out a sigh and rolled onto her side with her own back to Amara. She slowly drifted off to sleep.

Amara waited until she heard Michelle's breathing even out and deepen before she curled up into a tight ball again, her arms wrapped tightly around her sides. Cold slowly crept up and down her left side numbing her insides. She hugged herself tighter, pushing back as much as the chilling touch as she could.

Tiamat's fire flowed through her, brushing the inside of her skin, fighting back the cold even more than she had.

Amara felt a small relief but an ache remained. "I will fight my battles on my own terms." She whispered through clenched teeth. With that promise, she went to a restless sleep, the sound of Tiamat's sigh echoing through her mind.

_You're too stubborn, Amara._

* * *

_A/N: "_I'm going to be gone through all of our spring break so I doubt I will be able to get that much writing done due to all the concerts that we're performing. Concerning the upcoming American tournament. I have most of it set up I just have to iron out a few flaws. I don't know when the next chapter will be put up but it probably won't be until May at the least. Another thing about the tournament, it probably won't start until chapter 30 (wow... I'm that far already...) Next chapter is going to have some interesting plot development so be prepared."

As of 6/7/07: "The last few paragraphs of this chapter was rewritten. When I first uploaded this, I had two different documents I accidentally used the 'first draft' document. I'll try to get the next chapter up as soon as possible, but things have been a little hectic, more so than usual."

Death


	30. Chapter 29

Steel eyes opened, pupils expanding to let in as much light as possible in the dark room. The room's other occupant was still asleep, but that could change in a matter of moments. He carefully pulled back the blanket covering him and slipped his legs over to the side of the reclining chair's leg rest. He paused, glancing over at his roommate to make sure he was still sleeping.

Even though Haru was quite good at the stealthy business from his training it would be of little help since Kai received the same training and maybe more. Placing his feet on the carpeted floor, he cautiously stood up, his every movement calculated and precise.

Kai had yet to stir.

Haru made his way to the door, stepping lightly on the balls of his feet. Slowly turning the doorknob, he kept his eyes on Kai when the bolt finally clicked. Now came the tricky part. Haru took a deep breath before opening the door.

Light poured into the room from the crack that was made for Haru to slip out. In a matter of seconds, it was extinguished and the door was shut tightly.

Haru padded down the hallway in his pajamas, which consisted nothing more than a pair of black sweatpants, and waited at the elevator.

The chime sounded but before Haru could step in a blonde came running out.

"_Entshuldigung._" (1) The blonde gave a small bow before heading off.

Haru watched him as ran down the hall, his eyes narrowed in thought. _One of the Germans, has decent power, might be a challenge. _He stepped into the elevator and pressed the main floor button. He leaned back against the metal walls of the elevator, arms crossed over his bare chest. The elevator settled and the doors opened. Haru waited a moment before stepping out, uncrossing his arms.

He headed to the lobby and was surprised to see a receptionist still at the desk. If it was the same girl from earlier, Haru couldn't tell. He strode up to the desk, causing the girl to glance up from her work and blush. "May I use the phone?" He asked politely, already having a reason planned out if she asked him why he needed to use the main phone when he has one in his room.

Luckily the girl was slightly embarrassed at the sight of him and all she did was straighten in her chair and hand Haru the phone and its cradle.

Haru placed it on the counter and dialed a number he had memorized years before. He turned his back to the receptionist and leaned against the counter. He waited for the other end to be picked up. After about six rings the tone cut off. "Haru here."

There was silence for a moment before… "Haru! Good to hear from ya!"

"Waiting to give my report and waiting for new orders." Haru replied, ignoring the exuberant voice on the other end.

"Always straight to the point with you, isn't it?" The voice chided. "You're so boring."

"Stop playing games, Ryld."

* * *

Kai woke with his senses telling him something was off. He glanced over the room to find that nothing in the room was disturbed and that his roommate was missing. Sitting up, he looked over at the digital clock of the DVD player to find that it was four in the morning. 

_Troubled?_ Dranzer's voice brushed through his mind.

_Just wondering where Haru went. _Kai replied to the phoenix.

The doorknob slowly turned, quietly and carefully, so that if Kai was still asleep he might not have noticed. Kai was not asleep though so his eyes were drawn to it. Silently, the door swung open, just enough for a person to slip through before it was shut again. Kai's eyes narrowed as he made out Haru's form.

"Did I wake you?" Haru asked as he strode over to the chair he slept in.

"No," Kai answered, watching the enigmatic member of Wingz carefully.

Haru climbed back into the chair and adjusted the blanket to cover his legs. "It would be a good idea if everyone avoided each other today," He remarked, leaning his elbow against the armrest and having his cheek rest against his fist.

Kai inclined his head. "I already gave the order last night."

"Good." Haru waited a moment before he spoke again. "You're not going to ask me where I was?"

"Do you want me to?" Kai countered. "Frankly, I really don't give a damn where you go or what you're up to unless it directly involves my team or myself. I'm assuming that wherever you went has no concern to me or the rest of the BladeBreakers."

"If you say so." Haru replied cryptically.

That was the end of their conversation. For the next two hours, they reclined in silence. They had nothing else to say to each other and each thought that maybe it would be a good time to start that 'no contact' order.

The door to the bedroom opened and Reno walked out, still wearing his sleep shorts and tank and carrying a bundle of clothes in his arms. "Good, you're up, Haru." He pulled out a red T-shirt that had the sleeves cut off from bundle and threw it to the platinum blonde. "We should probably be on our way, lest we disturb the BladeBreakers." He remarked with a hint of malice in his voice.

Haru cocked an eyebrow at the barely suppressed venom but did not comment on it as he pulled the shirt over his head.

Reno waited for him at the door, his eyes bright with anger. As soon as Haru drew near he swung open the door and walked out into the hall. Haru followed, almost passively, not giving Kai a single glance as he left.

Kai crossed his arms over his chest and bowed his head in thought. _There's something off about Haru._

_Why do you say that? _Dranzer inquired.

_He doesn't seem the type to offer a conversation concerning his whereabouts. _

_The Wingz Corp certainly consists of individuals. _Dranzer remarked.

"Kai?"

Kai looked over to see Rei walking towards him. "What?"

"Reno and Haru left already, didn't they?" He asked as he glanced around the dark room. "I wonder why Reno was so angry."

Kai shrugged. "Haru agreed to the no contact."

"I see." Rei thought for a moment. "It probably is for the best."

* * *

Reno practically stormed down the hall, heading to the girls' suite. Once he reached the door, he stopped in front of it and made no move to open it. "Haru, I know why Ari is mad at me. I acted like a child, but… I don't know. Amara and Michelle always say that we're independent and that we don't need to get permission from them, but it still feels that way." 

Haru came up behind the Hell Wing. "Maybe because of our respect of them, we would ask for their permission anyway. Now, maybe your respect for them is dwindling."

Reno turned to face his companion. "You really don't think that's the reason?"

Haru shrugged in response. He reached over the slightly shorter blader and knocked on the door.

* * *

The three girls of Wingz Corp were all awake and sitting in the living room of their suite. They were spread apart, as far apart as they could be seated comfortably without going to another room. Amara was curled up in the chair while Ari and Michelle were seated on the ends of the couch. 

The uneasiness surrounding them could almost be seen. Luckily Hillary was still asleep in the bedroom.

They looked over when they heard the knock at the door. None of them stood up to answer it. After a few minutes the knocking came again, a little louder this time. Michelle finally let out a sigh and stood up. She walked over and unlocked the door, opening it to let the two boys in. Without greeting she went back to her seat.

Haru and Reno quietly joined them. Reno sat down on the couch right between Ari and Michelle while Haru took a seat on the floor, using the chair Amara was sitting in as a backrest.

Haru was surprisingly the first to break the silence. "The BladeBreakers have decided to have no contact with us until the tournament has gotten underway. I suggest we do the same."

"I agree." Amara spoke up, her hand fingering her left side.

"I agree as well." Ari said next.

Both Michelle and Reno nodded their consent.

The group remained that way for the next hour, everyone deep in his or her own thoughts. Hillary stepped out the bedroom and was kind of surprised to see everyone so quiet and moody. She was about to remark on the matter but Ari beat her to it.

"Hillary, it might be a good idea if you head to the BladeBreakers' room." The Angel Wing said. "We thought it best if we all avoided each other for a while."

Hillary was momentarily stunned before she nodded. "I understand… At least I think I do. Umm… I guess I'll be seeing you." Feeling a little awkward, she walked back into the bedroom and grabbed a few things before heading out.

The Wingz Corp watched her every move, like eagles soaring high above before they just suddenly swoop down and attack, pinning their prey in their sharp talons. Hillary felt like that poor mouse or fish that was unlucky enough to get caught. She tried to get out of the room as fast as she could without making it obvious.

"Today is going to suck." Reno remarked flippantly after a few moments of silence. Everyone else couldn't help but to agree.

* * *

The rest of Saturday just went too fast. The last minute training was hell but it wasn't so much that the players would be too tired for the tournament the next day. Kenny went through last minute strategies and adjustments to blades all the while stressing himself out with the most minute of things. Dizzi was reprimanding him about worrying too much. Tyson and Max practiced getting their blades in sync just in case there was a battle where it will be two on two. Kai and Rei worked on probing each other's defenses, catching the smallest advantage. Hillary went between all the boys, giving as much encouragement she could, getting water and among other things. She did have the strange occurrence from that morning always in the back of her mind. 

_Why were they arguing last night? _Hillary thought to herself as she sat next to Kenny on the bench in the weight room. _What were they arguing about anyway?_ _Is that why there was so much tension this morning? _She let out a sigh.

After a minute of sitting there, watching the boys' workout (which she didn't mind that much), a thought came to her. "Hey, Kenny?"

Kenny stopped his typing and mumbling to Dizzi and turned to Hillary. "Yeah, what's up?"

"Have you found out anything about those gravestones that had Amara and Syneon's names on it with what could be their parents?"

Kenny flinched. "Ah…umm… well…" He stuttered.

"We've just been so busy with upgrades and strategies that the investigation has become secondary." Dizzi answered.

"Y-yeah, that's it. We've just been so busy we haven't be able to do a good search."

"Oh." Hillary couldn't help but feel Kenny was hiding something from her. She narrowed her eyes but refined from voicing her suspicions.

"Huh, guess we'll have to come back later." A voice remarked from the weight room entrance.

The BladeBreakers stopped whatever they were doing and looked to see Amara and Michelle leaning on either side of the threshold. The two of them straightened and turned to walk back out without another word. Apparently they were planning to keep to the 'no contact' order.

Rei was about ready to call the two back saying that they could train in the room as well, but he reconsidered, thinking that maybe it was a good idea to just leave them alone. After hearing the fight last night, he really had no idea how to approach the Wingz without being too awkward about it.

Kai sighed; he also wanted to go back on his own order. He wanted to know if Amara was really okay and was curious what the argument they had overheard was about. He gave his head a small shake before returning to his training.

* * *

"Well, that sucked." Amara remarked irritably. "Figures they would be in there." 

"Well yeah," Michelle stated, "where else would they be? But it looks like we'll have to go with our other plan."

"Where would we go?" Amara asked. "We can't go to a park or anything, we would probably give people the wrong idea and get arrested for it or something."

Michelle allowed a smirk to curl up her lips. "The police would have to catch us first, Amara."

Amara mirrored Michelle's smirk. The incident from the previous night and that morning was still weighing on their minds, but for the first time that day they actually shared a grin. The thought of relieving some of that frustration and stress through a good workout was enough to lighten both of their moods. "Well then, what are we waiting for?"

* * *

Michelle and Amara ran from the hotel, with backpacks filled with the things they needed, to the nearest park, which was a good five or six miles away. The size of the park was decent, covering a two by two mile area with New York transit circling it. The park entrance was mostly just grass with a few trees for shade for the picnic tables and grills. There was also a public bathroom and a couple of pavilions positioned around the area, but the rest of the park consisted of wooded trails with a few clearings for rest stops. 

They walked over to a table and placed their packs on it. Opening them in silence, they pulled out their cloaks and donned them, covering their running shorts and shirts; they also pulled out their respective blades and launchers, loading them. The final things they pulled out were a small set of locks and wire. They locked the zippers so no one could open the bags and threaded the wire through the straps and around the table's leg. The only things left in the bags were just a few weights and some bandages.

The two of them walked over and stopped at the edge of the wooded area, gazing about, getting a feel for the place. The trees weren't planted densely together leaving room to maneuver, but the branches were wide and thick, allowing only patches of sunlight.

Amara shot Michelle a smirk and she took off at a sprint into the woods, weaving between the plants and nimbly avoiding the treacherous roots.

Michelle waited a moment before taking off after her partner. She held her beyblade up, knowing that it would slow her down slightly with her arms up and ready, but it was a small price to pay.

This was Amara and Michelle's favorite game; Hunter. It didn't matter who started off chasing whom, both were hunting each other at the same time, using blades, the terrain, anything that could be used as a weapon or trap.

As Amara said, playing in a public place had its risks, but now she was in the game and nothing matter besides playing. The same could be said for Michelle. They were too into their game to care if there were any repercussions for their actions.

Amara ran in a full out sprint, jumping to grab onto a limb, she swung herself up into the tree, and pulled out her blade. She stepped lightly as she moved towards a more leafed part of the branch, though it was further out and less likely to hold her weight, she managed to hide herself fairly well.

Michelle stalked in, walking on the balls of her feet, her blade now held out at her side. Her icy eyes darted about, scanning every possible inch she could. Her instincts were already telling her something was up.

Out of respect for their holders, Bahamut and Tiamat refrained from helping or distracting. The only thing they take part of is if the game gets heated enough that the girls actually decide to call _Unity_. Otherwise they remain dormant in their respective beyblades.

Amara eased her arm up to launch her blade. She knew Michelle was already expecting something, but the thing was she didn't know what that something was. She ripped back the chord, releasing the same ebony blade Arama had received from Ryld, but Amara didn't know that.

Michelle snapped her head up; she didn't catch where the blade had come from since by the time her eyes had located the fast blade it had already ricocheted off a few trees. Plus, by the time she had found it, it was on a crash course for her face. She dodged to the side, only to feel something drop behind her.

Amara smirked when Michelle dodged directly beneath her branch. She jumped down right behind her and slammed the heel of her palm between Michelle's shoulder blades knocking the girl forward.

Michelle went with the blow, tucking her chin to her chest and somersaulting forward, kicking out her feet hoping to at least keep Amara away so she could have the second to regain her balance.

Amara almost had her head kicked back when she tried to follow-up, but she managed to shift her weight back to avoid. However, she wasn't about to let Michelle prepare her own attack just yet. Her blade came careening back.

Michelle twisted to evade the blade, whipping her body around, she swung her arms out wide and snapped her right hand back to her body sending her beyblade straight at Amara.

Amara did the first thing that came to her. The blade was so unexpected she really didn't have time to think about what to do, so the first thing she did was bring up her right arm. Michelle's blade bit deeply as Amara swung her arm out to deflect the blade and send it off away from her.

"That was stupid." Michelle hissed at her mockingly.

"That was reflex." Amara retorted as she glanced down at the deep cut in her forearm. She gave a shrug before charging Michelle with the same arm cocked back, ready to strike.

Michelle moved into a defensive position and backpedaled to keep the distance between them. Amara threw a punch when she was close enough but Michelle managed to move back out of the way. Before the two realized it, they found themselves on the wide trail that cut through the woods.

And it just happened to be just their luck that there was a man walking his small dog. He stopped and stared at the two fighting girls, before fumbling with the small pouch that he had around his waist and pulling out a cell phone.

"Shit." Amara swore.

"Take care of it." Michelle gathered her strength and leapt away into the woods, obviously calling on Bahamut's own strength for a quick getaway.

Amara charged the man Tiamat's black wings unfolding from her back. She knocked the cell phone to the ground before the man had even punched in 911. The dog yipped at Amara before she placed a glare on it. It then tried to escape the leash, whimpering with its tail betweens its legs.

"You saw nothing." She whispered lowly before straightening before him, stretching out her wings to their full extent. She couldn't help but add a devilish smirk, one that looked more like Arama's. "If you tell anyone the demons will come after you." With that threat, Amara jumped, her wings taking her to the woods where Michelle had disappeared.

_That wasn't a good idea. _Tiamat said.

_Tiamat, quiet, we're playing. _Amara closed the link partially to block out any communication. Her cloak and clothes were gradually replaced by her normal _Unity_ armor, instead of the half breastplate she had for her _Perfect Unity _form. She stumbled when she felt the burning at her left hip crawl up her side and circle around her naval. "Damn…" She looked up at the right moment to see Michelle come flying out of nowhere, in her own _Unity_ armor. Her fist connected with Amara's jaw and sent her flying back.

Michelle jumped, and with her wings to propel her faster she shot at the ground, planning to end the game with one last punch.

Amara looked up from her back to see Michelle's final attack. She scowled at her partner as she drew nearer, her vision shifting to that time slowing effect where everything moves at a snail pace and where you move even slower. Amara twisted her hip, bring her right leg up and around as one last attempt to continue the game.

Time sped up again, now everything seemed like it was going faster than normal time. Amara's foot caught Michelle in the left shoulder sending her away. Amara continued her movement to end up in a crouch that was slightly overbalanced causing her to steady herself by placing a hand on the ground.

Michelle stood up, rubbing her shoulder. She turned to face the other, judging how much that move had actually cost her. Amara had also straightened and regained her balance, but Michelle noted that something was hurting.

The end of the game was drawing near, now that the two really had nowhere to run, they were going to make their final stands against each other.

A sound in the bushes drew their attention and out shot their respective blades, still battling each other. The blades passed between them attacking and defending, drawing strength from their owners. Michelle moved first, taking the offensive, not giving Amara a chance to counter as she pressed forward with her onslaught. She got in a few good hits, splitting Amara's lip and leaving her staggering whenever she connected with her left side.

Amara ducked under Michelle's next punch and came up inside her defenses. Driving her shoulder into her chest, she left Michelle gasping for breath as she went into her own attack routine. Blood flowed freely from Michelle's nose and she was still trying to catch her breath from a blow to the solar plexus.

Getting her feet set beneath her, Michelle's fist shot forward as Amara's came in. Neither had bothered with blocking since both were determined to land the winning blow. Their fists connected with each other's cheek at the same time, knocking them back to the ground.

There they laid, their armor fading and their blades resting a few feet away. For the first time in a long time the game had ended in a tie.

"Now that feels much better." Michelle remarked, staring up at the sky through the branches. She wiped the blood away from her nose with the back of her hand. "Do you think Ari will even consider healing us today? She's not exactly pleased with us."

"She might let us suffer for a bit before agreeing to cure us." Amara answered. Her side was throbbing greatly and her arm was still bleeding freely.

"Tomorrow's the big day. The day were everything starts." Michelle laced her fingers behind her head. "Is Arama still quiet?"

"Yeah, for the most part. She still has to try something every now and then." Amara answered. "So far it's been nothing Tiamat and I couldn't handle."

"What if she does something that you can't handle?" Michelle sat up to look down at her partner. "What then, Amara?"

"If it comes to that, Michelle…" Amara trailed off, unsure how to continue. She finally sighed. "I don't know. Just pray that it doesn't."

It took the two of them a few minutes to get back to their feet and make their way out of the wooded area of the park. They stayed off the trail, not wanting to be seen again. They limped and shuffled back to their stuff and unlocked their bags, pulling out the bandages they had brought. Amara quickly wrapped her arm and dabbed at her split lip, wincing slightly. Michelle held the wrap up to her nose and was happy to see that the bleeding had almost stopped.

"Are we running back or are we going to walk this time?" Amara asked after she took off her cloak and placed it back into her bag along with the extra bandages and closed it. She winced when she hooked the straps around her shoulders.

"Depends…" Michelle answered. "If we walk, we prolong the pain compare to if we run we get to add more aches."

"Run then?"

"Run."

* * *

A/N: "Yeah, it has been a long while since I last updated and this chapter just didn't have a good place to stop, so I decided that since it was getting so long and I don't like my chapters hitting the 5000 mark for some unknown reason, I'll just stop it there. The next chapter should start off the tournament but it probably won't do much explaining why the Wingz are all pissed off at each other." shrugs "I don't know when I'll get the next chapter out, so you'll just have to be surprised when it does come out. Sorry about any mistakes!" 

(1) German, polite way of saying "excuse me"

Death


	31. Chapter 30

Two pairs of eyes watched the founders of Wingz Corp. The rusty pair watched with intrigue and amusement while the dark forest green watch with an analytical gaze. They had witnessed the whole game, even debated on who would come out the victor.

"I thought for sure Michelle was going to win that one." Ryld remarked as they walked out of the park.

"Amara still has some tricks up her sleeve." Syneon stated.

"Yeah, but what Damian did to her is certainly taking effect." Ryld added. "I could taste Arama's power for a split second."

"We're supposed to be concentrating on capturing Bahamut." Syn reminded his younger partner. "That's what Boris ordered us to do, so your obsession with Arama will have to wait."

"Obsession?" Ryld looked hurt. "It's hardly that. It's her energy. When I first met her, you could feel her energy crawl over your skin. It was like a double-edge sword. It promised greatness and power but it was uncontrollable. Yet, she had perfect control over it."

"Her half at least." Syn said drawing a confused look from Ryld. "I can't feel energy as well as you can, but you have to remember Amara or Arama are two separate people sharing the same body. Their energies are completely separate from each but with _Unity _the energies mingle. Arama could be the considered an epitome of chaos itself while Amara is the control. They can control their respective energies without worry but when they mingle, things get out of hand."

"What about _Perfect Unity_?" Ryld inquired.

"That's when the two decided to work together to make a balance of their energies. But even you noticed they were still conflicted."

"Oh yeah, that barrier that I shattered through. Amara wanted to put it up to protect the spectators but Arama, if she was even called that then, just wanted to fight. Even if Arama is confined deep in Amara's soul and mind, her corruptive power still shows through in _Unity_, that's why Amara is having trouble along with the mischief Damian caused."

"She won't be able to keep it up for much longer."

Ryld laughed. "You know, I just thought of something. They seem to blame Damian for killing Amara, but if you think about it, it was technically me." He chuckled. "The irony of it all."

Syn sighed and walked ahead of Ryld. For some reason he had a twinge of annoyance at his raven-haired partner, about what, he couldn't explain.

Ryld watched his partner. He could see that Syn had retained some memory of his past even though he didn't even realize it. Why else would he feel some form of anger at the dismissive remark at his involvement in Amara's death? He shrugged and jogged to catch up. "So, do we have a plan to capture Bahamut yet?"

Syn cast Ryld a sidelong glance. "You said that I should trust you and leave everything in your hands and not to worry. Now, you're asking me what the plan is even though you assured me that you had everything under control."

"Oh yeah." Ryld grinned. "Don't worry, I do have everything under control, just wanted to see if you wanted to take some part or help or something. I mean we switched jobs right in the beginning anyway, since Tala and I would be at each others' throats all the time and he seems to grudgingly respect you, it just would have worked better that way. But anyway I figured you'd be bored with babysitting the kids."

"Ryld, they're the same age as you, they're hardly considered kids." Syn turned his eyes forward again.

"But Big Brother Syn." Ryld whined mockingly. "We all look up to you and compared to you, we're nothing more than children."

Syneon stopped walking and grabbed Ryld by the collar of his shirt. He pulled him forward so that their faces were inches apart, his green eyes burning with suppressed anger. "Ryld, shut up." He growled threateningly before letting go and pushing the other blader aside.

Ryld held his hands up in peace and watched as Syn turned on his heel and walked off. _He definitely is related to Amara. I'm surprised he hasn't figured it out yet. Wonder what he'll do if Amara ever confronts him and tells him the truth? _He scowled at the thought. _I won't let her ruin his life again._

* * *

Their run back was pleasant enough. People did stare as they ran by; their split lips, swollen eyes, bloody noses and cut arms along with the slight stiffness in their strides drew the attention. They made it back to the hotel covered in sweat and muscles trembling. The two stumbled into through the revolving doors and drew the attention of most of the people in the area.

A light blonde with eyes so light a blue they look almost clear. "_Sind Sie OK?_" (1)

Both Amara and Michelle glanced up at him, the looks on their faces clearly saying that they did not understand what he had asked.

The boy blinked before he let out a small laugh. "Ah, excuse me, I'm not quite used to Englisch quite yet." His voice was heavily accented that it took a moment for the girls to decipher it. "Was I asked, vas if Sie were alright." (2)

"Yeah, we're fine, just got a little rough during our training. Thank you for your concern."

He nodded in understanding. "I'll see Sie in the tournament then. _Aufviedersehen_!" (3) He turned and started to leave the two before he stopped and turned. "_Ich vergesse… Ich heiße Axel_!" (4)

They watched him disappear down the hall, no doubt heading to the elevators. Amara turned to Michelle. "He's one of the Germans."

"Yeah, like I couldn't tell." Michelle snapped.

"I figured that you two would returned with a whole new set of bruises." Ari stood off to the side in her light blue one-piece swimsuit, having just come from the pool with her long hair dripping wet and a towel wrapped around her slender waist. "Worked off your frustrations on each other I see."

"It might do you some good if you and Reno did the same." Amara remarked.

"And it might do you some good if you actually admit that you like Kai." Ari snapped back.

Michelle's eyes widened marginally as did Amara's but hers quickly narrowed into a glare.

"Have I touched a sore spot, Amara?" Ari almost sneered.

Amara couldn't come up with a comeback; instead she took a threatening step towards the Angel Wing, her hand clenched tightly in a fist.

"Do you want me to heal you two or not?" Ari asked, not taking one step back when Amara advanced towards her. She looked up at the taller redhead a set look in her eyes. "You leave my love life alone and I'll leave yours alone." She stated lowly.

Amara scoffed and backed down. She walked off on her own back to the room, leaving the other two behind.

"What the fuck is going on with everyone?" Michelle asked but Ari had no answer for her.

* * *

Hillary paced about the boys' room waiting for Reno and Haru to come so she could head off to the girls' room where the Wingz were currently having their team meeting, but judging from the slight confrontation the three girls of Wingz had in the lobby it must be some team meeting. Every five minutes or so she would glance up at the clock and sigh before continuing her pacing. By 11:00 she threw herself onto the couch.

"Hillary," Max spoke up, "I think you've been hanging around Tyson too much," he gave a small smile, "you're starting to pick up some of his habits."

"Hey!" Tyson perked up. "Is that supposed to be some kind of insult?"

"You wouldn't know a true insult if one slapped you in the face." A voice remarked from the door.

The BladeBreakers noticed that Haru and Reno had entered the room. Reno had his hands shoved into the pocket of his jeans, a glare set on his face and Haru actually looked like he was either annoyed or angry having his arms crossed over his chest and the slight scowl on his face.

Haru turned to Kai. "Do you think it will be alright if Reno slept out here on the couch while you took his bed in the room?" Kai nodded. He then looked to Hillary. "Sorry about the inconvenience."

Hillary blushed slightly under his gaze. "It's okay. I'll just head off to bed now." She turned around the room and gave a goodnight. She walked to the door and glanced over her shoulder once last time before heading out. Closing the door behind her, she walked down the hall to the girls' room with a little trepidation.

Entering the room she found that no one was in the lounge but she heard the water running in the bathroom. She sighed, realizing that she would have to take her shower in the morning. She opened the door to the bedroom and found that Ari and Michelle were already curled up in the beds. She changed as quietly as she could, but it was obvious that Ari and Michelle were aware of her every movement. Slipping into bed she whispered a goodnight to Ari before closing her eyes.

She wasn't surprised when there was no reply.

* * *

Amara stood in the shower under the steaming hot spray. She didn't care if she was going to come out with slightly scalded skin; she just wanted to burn away everything. She leaned against the shower wall.

_Tiamat?_

_Amara?_

_I can't do this. If I pull out _Unity _again whatever Black Dranzer did to us will spread even more. During our game, I didn't realize, but Arama somehow was able to gain a foothold. _She placed her fist against the wall, wanting nothing more to slam it into the tile. _She figured out before us that Black Dranzer is slowly weakening us and she's just biding her time._

_Amara, just tell the others. _Tiamat pleaded. _Stop being so stubborn. You see what it has led to! The Wingz Corp is falling apart! You and Michelle can't even trust each other enough to train together. You know she's been going off on her own to figure out that new form, but wouldn't it be better if you helped. You two have lost your trust in each other. The others have picked up on it too, whether unconsciously or not; they've lost their respect for you._

Amara bit her lip as she grasped her side. _It's spreading again. _What started as something that seemed like a bruise on the fall of her hip had now spread up her left side, creeping around her naval and making its way around her back.

It no longer had a look of bruise. It was inky black and it swirled almost like an elaborate tattoo. Everywhere it spread felt frozen and burned at the same time.

She turned off the water once it no longer burned, no matter how hot she tried making it. Amara stepped out of the shower carefully and wrapped the towel she set out for herself around her body.

_Amara, please, tell them. _Tiamat pressed again.

_How, Tiamat? _Amara snapped back. _How am I supposed to tell them that I'm losing my mind to someone who is basically myself? How will they ever come to trust me again; they won't be able to tell if its Arama or me. If she really wanted to, she could imitate me exactly._

_And you, her, Amara. _Tiamat sighed. _Please, just tell them before its too late._

Amara didn't answer right away. She ran a brush through her long hair and pulled it up into a tail before squeezing out as much water as she could. A faint white line across her forearm drew her attention to the mirror.

Ari had healed the two of them, but it seemed that for her comment in the lobby she left Amara a reminder. "It's not like I don't have enough scars." She ran a finger across the one that ran along her cheek. It was almost gone, but if one looked closely or if they knew it was there in the first place, they would see it. She then reached over her shoulder to feel the deep indent that was left along her shoulder blades, the scars where she manifested her own wings.

Amara sighed and reached over to flick off the light, immersing herself in darkness. With the lights off, she could see just how much she was losing. Her dark green eyes glowed but they flickered with amber in the shadows.

She opened the bathroom door and with one last looked at the reflection of her eyes in the mirror she walked out. _I'll try Tiamat._

* * *

"Welcome all to the start of the Beyblading Championship! This is Brad Best along with A.J. Topper to bring you all the action!" The voice echoed through the crowded stadium and was even heard out in the parking lot from the loud speakers that were set up outside.

"Should be an exciting day." Brad's partner A.J. remarked. "Now there have been many questions on how this tournament will be held over five different countries and hopefully we'll be able to clear those up."

"During the course of this week there will be six different trials, two different trials will begin today and another two tomorrow. Bladers will be scored separately on each trial except for the Team Trial and the Obstacle Course, which will take place on separate days. Those scores will then be added together for a grand total that will separate teams into their pools."

"The trials are as such; Speed, Agility, Attack, Defense, Teamwork, and finally the Obstacle Course."

"First place earns 50 points, second place earns 49, and so on and so forth until all 44 participates earn some points."

"Now," Brad went on, "pool play will not start until the European Tournament but there will be four different pools labeled A through D. Teams will battle everyone in their pool earning points for the wins they achieve. Pool play will be played in the European and Asian Tournaments. The teams with the most points in their pools will go on to bracket play and that will take place in the Russian and Japan Tournaments."

"Some still wonder about the World Champion and his partner." A.J. stated. "There is an assured spot for the two in bracket, but that's only if they don't make will they take that assured spot. This here is their chance to test out the competition and see what they got."

"And they definitely will have some competition." Brad laughed. "There are some great unknowns that appeared out of nowhere and are taking the world by storm. So here are some of the teams that A.J. and I have chosen to watch out for."

Many of the spectators and quite a few of the teams stopped what they were doing to look at the nearest screen, both were hoping to catch a glimpse of what they might be up against or what to expect.

"Let's start our Top Ten list!" A.J. announced. "At number 10 we have our Wild Card team. These two almost didn't make it in but at their last battle the United Beyblade Committee decided that they would take the Wild Card position." The screen showed clips of the mentioned battle. "Lloyd and Glenn both have a lot of potential and Brad and I both agree that these two will do well."

"Next, number nine!" Brad exclaimed. The screen switched to show two girls battling, each with a determined look on her face. "We have Veronica and Arina. Despite their pretty looks these two have a lot of bite, they also should be a nice surprise in the World Championship."

Amara stopped paying full attention to the screen in her and Michelle's locker room and went back to getting ready. The two announcers went on with their list continuing with a couple from the U.S. named Josh and Krista, and following up with two familiar faces, Lee and Gary, from the banquet.

"For our sixth pick we go to one of the Russian teams." Brad said. "One of the members will be familiar to those who watch our first World Championship," The screen showed a redhead with eyes that seemed icier than Michelle's battling a much younger Tyson, "this time around Tala will be blading with a new partner. Damian also took part in the Japanese qualifiers but was disqualified along with his partner for that tournament. We believe his disqualification was because he had already qualified in Russia and couldn't do so again. But this kid sure packs a lot out power being the one who defeated Tyson in those rounds."

Amara and Michelle looked up and glared at the screen seeing the one who had betrayed them. They watched his battle against Tyson and watched the bit beast Diablo follow Damian's every order without question. "Bastard." The two both whispered and turned away from the screen again, not expecting to see anyone else they knew but still kept an ear out for anything interesting.

After number four and five, five being the European duo of Robert and Johnny and four being the familiar blonde, blue-eyed boy named Axel from the hotel and his partner Wolfgang from Germany, the two found themselves staring at the screen again.

"Number three is another Russian team." Brad started. "These two came from literally nowhere. They just appeared at the Russian qualifiers and took the place by storm. Ryld and Syneon definitely look like a team to watch out for. They can change their tactics on a whim in the middle of a battle effortlessly and both are comfortable in showing no mercy. Despite the two-year difference in their ages, these seem as close as brothers. They will be tough in a two on two match."

Amara stared at the screen, looking at the person who had to be her brother; there was no mistaking that. She steeled herself with the fact that she will approach him and tell the truth of what had happened. When the screen switched back to the BBA logo, she scowled, wanting to see her brother's face again.

"Speaking of brothers, let's look at the other end." A.J. went on. "Our number two pick will have to be the sisters. Now they aren't really sisters, but they look close enough and work quite well together." Michelle's eyes widened to see herself and Amara in some of their previous battles; even Amara was just as surprised. "Amara and Michelle are a new hit that took the attention of many of the male bladers and spectators. These two got power." The screened showed Amara's first display of her aura then her battle with Kai with a shot that showed Arama's fierce grin before switching over to Michelle in her armor and her battle against Rei when she shifted to that new form. "With their dragon bit beasts, Tiamat and Bahamut, their skills, and their looks, these two are bound to make many new fans and plenty of rivals."

Amara and Michelle shared a glance with each other at that statement. "Our looks?" Amara inquired. Michelle answered with a shrug and turned back to the screen for the number one pick.

"Now, what you've been waiting for, our top pick!" Brad began. "This team is definitely not new to the blading community and they will certainly be top contenders for the championship. That's right, you know who they are, members of the same beyblade team as the World Champion himself, it's Kai and Rei! These two only keep getting better and they will probably have something to say about Tyson getting the title again. Taking the top position in the Japanese qualifiers before Amara and Michelle, Kai and Rei are no novices and will teach many of their opponents a lesson in beyblading."

"Not to mention, Brad," The listener's could just hear the smile in A.J.'s voice, "with Amara and Michelle picking up all the attention of the male audience, Kai and Rei will definitely take the attention of the female side, which actually might be a good thing. There aren't many girls who have picked up beyblading, sure, there is a fair number, but, if anything, maybe these two will help bring a new light to blading."

"For some reason, I'm disgusted." Michelle remarked after a moment.

"Don't worry, you're not the only one." Amara answered as she stood up. "I suggest we wear our cloaks, I don't feel like being 'eye-candy' for any of the male spectators today."

"I'll have to agree with you there." Michelle followed Amara's movement and they headed out of their locker room, wearing their cloaks that effectively covered their bodies.

The conversation between the two would seem normal to any outside listener, but the two were being overly polite to each other. They continued their way down the hall to the arena where the first trial would begin.

* * *

**Translations**

1: "Are you ok/alright?" I'm sure there is some idiomatic way, but it's two months since I last had German and I didn't feel like looking it up.

2: "Englisch" is the German spelling of "English". "Was" is "what" in German ('w' make a 'v' sound), "vas" is how he pronounced "was" and "Sie" is the polite way of saying "you" (singular/plural)

3: "Aufviedersehen" basically its the polite way of saying "goodbye"

4: "Ich vergesse... Ich heisse Axel" means "I forgot... I'm called Axel/My name is Axel."

Phew... I think I got everything...

A/N: "Well, I finally made it to the tournament! Phew! I basically typed the bulk of this chapter yesterday and I already finished the next chapter today, so I'm kinda all typed out, but we'll see if I can write some more tonight.

Don't really know what to say about this chapter. The Wingz are still bickering, and it seems that Ari has a lot of bite to her. We finally see exactly what Damian did to Amara, how will it affect her though?

I hope the explanation of how the tournament is going to work makes sense, that's the thing I worry about the most. I mean i can see everything in my head but when you try to write it do or type it out it doesn't seem like it takes the same effect." sighs "If you don't understand something, tell me so I can try and explain it to you, unless its some important plot point that cannot be revealed.

Sorry about any mistakes I missed!"

Death


	32. Chapter 31

"Hello combatants! I'm DJ Jazzman, the official referee for the rest of your trials and matches." The ref was wearing black pants with a black leather vest; a cut red shirt was worn under the vest and had a red bandana covering his dark hair. He grinned down at the teams. "I'll be sticking with you to the very end, though many of you won't be sticking with me." He moved his microphone further away his mouth and swung his other arm out wide. "What do you say we get this started!" He shouted. The crowd broke out in a great cheer and many of the participants pumped their fists in the air.

"Now that we got the official start, let's explain to everyone what's in store for today." A.J. remarked, getting his cue from Jazzman.

The contestants stood in the center of the arena, there were no beyblading dishes set up and positioned in various locations were stands that each had a number, one through eleven. The stadium was not shaped in the normal circle, but was an oval like a racetrack, in fact the perimeter was exactly that. Brad explained that the first trial would be the Speed Trial that would take place in eleven heats and four bladers in each heat. They would launch their blades in their starting lane, the blades would follow their lane for the whole circuit of 400 meters while being timed and once all the heats were done, the times would be posted and the first set of points would given.

Those in each heat were chosen randomly to mix up whom every one would be blading against. The set of official judges made sure that all the teams would be separated. The heats would stay the same for the two trials that day but would change for the next day.

The group listened for their names and heat number and went to the designated area to wait for their turn.

Rei was surprised to find himself in the same heat as Michelle and the old Majestics member, Enrique. He also found that the fourth member of their heat was an Egyptian boy with sleek black hair. It ended up that their group would be first.

Jazzman was up on an elevated platform that looked over the track. He waited for the four to place their blades into their launchers.

"For the first heat we have Rei, Michelle, Enrique, and Ardeth." Brad said

"From previous tournaments we know that Rei is known for his speed but the other three might give a run for his money." A.J. added. "Looks Jazzman is about ready to announce the start."

"Bladers to your mark!" Jazzman shouted. The four hooked their fingers in loops of the ripcord, muscles tensed as they moved to their own launching positions. "3! 2! 1! Let it rip!"

Four blades were released simultaneously but two separated from the other two. Rei and Michelle's blades looked like they just disappeared while Ardeth and Enrique's remained visible but Ardeth's was definitely ahead.

Michelle and Rei had already turned around, waiting for their blades even after only ten or fifteen seconds.

Rei's Drigger crossed the finish line and was clocked at 17.6 seconds while Michelle's Bahamut followed less than a second later; the time was 18.2 seconds. It took another few seconds for the crowd to realize that two of the four had already finished and they started to cheer as the two times were placed up on the screen. Moments later Ardeth and Enrique finished and the next heat was called.

"Michelle!" Rei called as he ran to catch up with the blader who left as soon as she got her time posted. "Michelle!"

She finally stopped and turned to face him before walking away again. Michelle did not even look at Rei when he was walking along side her.

"Michelle, I didn't know you where that fast." Rei remarked.

"You learn something new every day." Michelle remarked dismissively. "Aren't you supposed to keep your distance from us?" She snapped.

"I just thought I would congratulate you." Rei answered slightly hurt.

"Hey, Rei!"

Rei glanced around to find who called his name; unable to find the person he turned back to Michelle to see that she was gone. Enrique came jogging up to him, a smile on his face.

"Hey, Rei. How are you doing?" He asked, his grin growing wider as he brushed back his golden blonde hair. "Was that Michelle you were talking to? She's pretty hot, do you know if she's taken?"

Rei sighed and turned to answer the line of questions. "I'm fine, Enrique. Yes, that was Michelle." He could not help it, but his eyes narrowed and went slightly feral. "No, she's not taken, but she wouldn't appreciate being talk about like some sort of object."

Enrique laughed and held up his hands in a placating gesture. "No offense, Rei. Wow, protecting women's virtue everywhere." He smirked and could not help himself from asking. "What about her partner Amara? She's hot too, but she looks more like a dominatrix, but who knows, I might need someone more commanding in my life."

Rei was momentarily stunned and had a look of horror on his face. Whether if it were from the suggestion of Amara being a dominatrix, what Amara would do if she heard what was being said about her, what _Kai _would do if he heard what was said, or the fact that Enrique thought Amara would make a nice girlfriend.

"Rei, you should see your face right now." Enrique turned and started to walk away. "Well, be seeing ya."

Rei stood there, unmoved, ignoring the sound of the cheers from the crowd as the very same Amara finished first in her heat. "Enrique, if you pursue Amara or Michelle, you'll have no idea what hit you." He let out a sigh and only paid half attention to the rest of the trial's heats.

* * *

Within forty minutes the first trial was over and the scores were show on the screen. Rei was placed first with Michelle taking second. Kai looked over the screen glancing through the name of the beybladers. Tala placed third after Michelle, then Damian and himself. He saw that Amara had placed seventh earning Michelle and herself a decent amount of points for the first trial but still they trailed behind Rei and himself. 

He barely paid any regard to the announcement of the next trial, he just moved to the stand that stated his heat number and grabbed one of the plastic cups of water they had sitting out.

The next trial would be the Agility Trial and would take significantly longer then the Speed Trial since only two contestants will be going at a time. The top finisher in one heat will go through the trial at the same time as the top finisher in a different heat and so on until the two heats are done then they will move to the next two randomly chosen heats and continue that way until everyone had competed.

The participants will be judged on not only their speed to get through but also on the number of errors they did or did not make. The 100-meter straightaway on both sides of the track were set apart and many blocks and sharp turns and traps were set up. One could make it if they went slow and were careful, but that wasn't the point of the trial. All in all, this trial could be proved more of a challenge.

It so happened that he would be going first, since he finished first in his heat. _Are you ready, Dranzer? _Kai asked and his answer was a wave of comforting heat that washed over him.

He stood on the spot designated and waited. He glanced up at the screen and heard A.J.'s voice over the crowd. "The top finisher in heat 6 was Kai and the top finisher in heat 3 was Amara. These two will start off the Agility Trial. Whenever you're ready DJ Jazzman."

"All right! Bladers to your marks!"

Kai could not help but feel a wave of disappointment rush through him for a moment at the thought he would not see Amara in action, her ebony blade weave its way through the trial. The moment passed as quickly as it came. He set his blade and launcher, readying himself.

Jazzman glanced over the two to see if they were ready, seeing the determined looks and stances each had moved to, he began his count, "3! 2! 1! Let it rip!"

Kai snapped back his arm, releasing Dranzer. He watched his blue blade skillfully avoid the first of the blocks that were set up to bar his way. He sprinted along the path they officials had left for the beyblader to follow his or her blade. "Dranzer!" He shouted, expecting something since the trial had thus far been too easy to maneuver. His guess was right, a glass screen came up from the track and his blade barely avoided shattering it, it did, however, scratched the edge of it.

Dranzer kept her speed, weaving through everything with precision. The 100 meters suddenly seemed very long. It seemed to take forever for the blade cross the finish.

When Dranzer had crossed the finish line, Kai looked up at the screen he found that it was positioned on Amara. She did not leave her spot to follow her blade; it looked to Kai as if she had her eyes closed for the entire trial. She walked to the end where her ebony blade continued its spin before shooting back into her hand.

Kai's blade did the same, returning to his hands while his eyes were still fixed on the screen. Soon the video feed was cut to show the results on how the two did. Amara had finished before Kai by mere seconds, but unlike Kai, she made no errors, while he had just the one where Dranzer had barely scratched the glass.

The crowd roared, but it went unheard by Kai as he walked back to the stand. He kept a tight hold on Dranzer and it tightened even more when he felt more than heard someone approaching him from behind.

"We never had the pleasure of meeting, but I've heard much about you, Kai."

Kai turned to find the speaker standing a few feet away, hands in the pocket of his faded jeans and a black tank that was fitted loosely. His tank seemed nothing more than grey compared to his hair, which was blacker than black itself, and accented his rust-colored eyes that seemed to glow red behind the dark bangs.

"Am I correct in assuming that you are Ryld?" Kai inquired.

The boy smiled and took a step forward, his hand held out. "You are correct."

Kai looked down at the hand before gazing at the blader before him. "What do you want?"

"So quick to suspicion." Ryld dropped his hand an easy smirk still on his lips. "That's what makes you so good. Take nothing for granted, trust only yourself, defeat your enemies by any means possible."

The two stared each other down, ignoring the commotion going on around them, the hustle of different bladers, the voices of the announcers and referee, the world just seemed to fade.

"What do you want?" Kai repeated himself.

"Examine the competition, learn more about everyone, check for weakness," Ryld said all of this with his same grin but somehow, in a blink of an eye, it slipped into something more sinister, "and see what I can do to sabotage anyone who I think will get in my way."

"And just who did you find that you believe will get in your way." Kai narrowed his eyes and Dranzer reinforced the _Unity _link between them.

"A fair number." Ryld chuckled. "I will even let you know who has caught my eye."

"And what will stop me from warning those you're targeting?"

Ryld let out a laugh at that. "That's the great thing about it!" He ran a hand through his hair. "Nothing will stop you. In fact, I would like you to warn them, makes the hunt all much more interesting knowing that the prey are always looking over their shoulders."

"Tell me who." Kai said lowly, his dislike for Ryld growing with every second.

"Well, you, for one." Ryld took a couple of steps toward the holder of Dranzer and smiled widely when he found that Kai would not back down. They were face to face, and definitely well inside Kai's personal space. "Rei, Michelle, the holder of Bahamut, we have big plans for her, but more so for her bit beast, possibly Tyson and Max, but they aren't a main concern, only if the opportunity arises are the orders, and of course, Amara."

Kai fought the urge to take that smile off Ryld's face as he rambled off the names. Dranzer responded to his anger and a flame was lit in his very being. It rushed through his body and he could feel fire licking the inside of his skin, it was disconcerting at first but realized that it was Dranzer's fire and his own fire. He could not help the small smirk when Ryld took a step back from the heat that was coming from Kai.

"Well, this wasn't unexpected." Ryld remarked, his smile disappeared but it was quickly replaced, he waved to someone over Kai's shoulder.

Kai dropped one foot back to see the person Ryld was waving to and at the same time keeping Ryld in his sight.

The teen Ryld was waving at stood a few inches taller than Kai and wore a long black trench coat despite the warm temperature in the stadium. He was also wearing jeans with rips in the knees and two heavy belts that crossed off the side. His dark green muscle shirt and the strip of green cloth that was tied around his head and kept his light brown hair out of his familiar green eyes. "Ryld, your heat is up next." His voice was quiet but deep and demanded attention. Kai speculated his was at least two years older.

"You haven't met my partner, Kai." Ryld said cheerfully. "This is Syneon, but call him Syn. Well, I'll leave you two to chat, I have a heat to participate in."

Syn and Kai watched the black-haired blader make his way to the track.

Syn was the first to make eye contact with Kai. "Let me say this, your Grandfather is not happy, but then again, he was never really pleased with you."

Kai gritted his teeth and willed Dranzer to fill him with their fire again.

Syn continued, "Since Ryld has already told you who we're targeting, I'll tell you this, Michelle is the first, but that only accounts if Amara could hold off what Damian has done."

"What?" Kai turned to fully face the older teen, his fire quickly diminishing. "You mean what he did at the banquet?"

"I've said all that I needed to say." Syn turned and started to walk away. "Good luck to you and your partner."

Kai watched Syn until he lost him in the crowd and he found that he was not the only one. Amara stood following him with her eyes; eyes that were exactly the same. She turned and her eyes met Kai's. Amara was the first to break contact and she did the same as Syneon, turning and walking away.

Kai wanted to go after her but found that he couldn't. He did not understand if he was just scared, which seemed unlikely, or if he was unconsciously keeping his decision from before. He couldn't dwell on it since someone was yelling his name.

"Kai! Kai!" Kenny ran to him, his laptop tucked tightly under his arm, against his side. "I've been looking all over for you. Dizzi and I recorded the trials on the players that we thought would be challenging in the future. Don't worry I was able to record both your Agility Trail as well as Amara's. I think there might be a slight imbalance in blade's ring."

"How was Amara's run?"

"It was amazing. I mean, she just stood there with her eyes closed and didn't move a muscle. She must have tapped into her _Unity_ link or something."

"How many still have to go through the trials?"

Kenny paused for a second, running a few numbers in his head. "Three more groups. Heat 2 and 11 are up right now and Heat 9 will finish it off alone. Don't worry, I think Rei might have taken top position again, but," Kenny dropped his voice and bowed his head, "Damian had a great run, I think he might have beaten Rei."

Kai nodded in understanding. He was very surprised that neither Amara nor Michelle had attacked the former member yet. There was not a doubt that they were probably considering that option.

"Once this trial is done they're going to show the totals the teams have achieved so far." Kenny remarked and Kai nodded once again.

They waited for about twenty minutes when everyone had finally finished their runs. The rest of the BladeBreakers had joined Kai and Kenny and even Hillary who managed to sneak down into the arena.

Not far away were Amara and Michelle, the two standing side by side waiting to hear the combined scores.

The BladeBreakers saw Damian and his unwilling partner Tala talking with Ryld and Syneon. Tyson was practically growling when Ryld caught a glimpse of him and waved jauntily. Syn luckily grabbed Ryld's hand and brought it down. Damian turned to look at the team and smirked, confidence radiating off him. The only one who didn't look over was Tala, who kept his head down, refusing to look at any of them.

Finally Brad's voice broke over the arena and the crowd hushed. "Well, we have all the points added up."

"Don't worry folks, I did double check Brad's math for you all." A. J. cut in with a laugh.

"And I thank you for that, so if there is a mistake I can just blame it on you." Brad retorted playfully.

"You don't have to do that,"

"Anyway here are the scores: placed number one so far we have Kai and Rei at a score of 189, coming in second we have Damian and Tala at 188, third we have Amara and Michelle at 187, and tied for fourth place we have a definite gap separating them from the top three are Tyson and Max and Syneon and Ryld both with scores of 161."

"Those are your top scorers. To find your place, please see the brackets that are set up around the arena."

"We hope you all had a fun time."

"And we can't wait to continue this tomorrow."

"This is Brad Best along with A. J. Topper, wishing you a good day and we will see you tomorrow at 10:00am sharp for the next exciting installment of our tournament!"

* * *

A/N: "No translations this time. Yeah there are a total of 44 participants and they all have names just in case I have to give all their names for some reason. So here's the start of the tournament with the first two trials. The whole point system, let's just say I have it set up that the top six teams are correct with the way I have them winning their trials, yeah as if that wasn't a pain. Basically, I don't care about the teams under them, since they probably won't get mentioned unless one of the members gets a high score just to make sure my top six come out right. 

Now, you didn't think I was going to go through every player? If I did that'll take up even more time and chapters and getting their points right, so for the first four trials I will probably only mention the main characters or the top winners, but once we get to the Team Trial and Obstacle Course things will get a little hectic, but I won't spoil it for you.

Once again, tell me if there's something you don't understand and I'll try to answer you, and don't be afraid to make suggestions, who knows I might need them, and please tell me if there are any horrible mistakes so I can fix them. Thanks a bunch for sticking with me this far, this story is definitely going to be an epic."

Death


	33. Chapter 32

The limousine was already outside waiting for the BladeBreakers. It took them a few minutes to get through the crowd that had practically ambushed them once they set foot outside the stadium. They were all begging for autographs and wanting to shake hands with them.

Hillary was getting extremely annoyed. What would have been a thirty second walk to the car was becoming five minutes and she had a feeling it would be well past ten minutes by the time she actually got to the door.

Tyson was certainly enjoying the attention, Max did have a smile for everyone but it was beginning to look more and more forced, Rei was politely trying to move forward, asking the people surrounding them if they would move out of the way, Kenny was also getting attention, other technicians were asking him questions and opinions on different analytical programs and techniques, Hillary was basically ignored unless someone was telling her she was in the way, and Kai walked through all of it without signing anything, acknowledging anyone, and making it through without some rabid fangirl trying to steal his scarf.

Finally making it to their ride back to the hotel, they scrambled in and told the driver to step on it and damn anyone if they got in the way. Now that they were able to relax their talk focused on the tournament.

"I didn't realize Michelle was that fast." Max remarked. "In the last tournament she had trouble with Drigger's speed."

"She's obviously been working on that. Maybe it has to deal with that new form." Rei suggested.

"I can't believe that that Ryld had the nerve to mock me." Tyson growled.

"We need to be careful around him and his partner." Kai spoke up. "They are in league with BioVolt and they already have their targets."

"Do we know who?" Kenny asked.

Kai nodded. "Their main target is Michelle."

"What?!" Rei exclaimed.

Kai ignored Rei's outburst and continued. "Then Amara, Drigger and Dranzer. If they can get their hands on Dragoon and Draciel without incident they will not hesitate."

"Damn." Tyson cursed. "It's just like our first World Championship all over again." He smirked over at Kai, trying to lighten the mood with a joke. "You sure you're not going to, I don't know, go for Black Dranzer again?"

"I'm fine with what I have." He answered without regarding anyone of them.

It took a few moments for Tyson to register what he said, but when he did, he almost jumped out of his seat and would have succeeded if he hadn't put o his seatbelt. "Kai just… he just… acknowledged us as his team!"

"Hey." Hillary got their attention with the tone of her voice, obviously wanting to talk about something important.

"What's up, Hillary?" Max asked when she didn't continue.

"I didn't notice it before, but Syn's eyes are just like Amara's. So they're siblings, right? I mean, since Max saw the graves; but why would they already have graves? Are they supposed to be dead or something?"

Rei looked over at Kai who nodded his consent. "Hillary, we did find some information but we decided it would be best not to tell you right away because we weren't sure on how you would act around Amara. Now that we have this decision to leave each other alone it might be a good time to tell you."

"You guys didn't trust me?" Hillary asked, hurt evident in her voice.

"It's not that," Tyson answered, "it's just we didn't want you acting strange around her because you would be the one who would have been around the most without one of us." Hillary seemed to accept the explanation.

Kenny opened his laptop and was immediately greeted by Dizzi's voice. "Decided to tell her?" The bit beast didn't want for an answer. "I'll pull up the file for you."

Hillary scooted closer to Kenny and read through the short newspaper clipping. Once she finished she leaned back in her seat. "That's just sad." She went quiet. "But it makes you wonder, if this is what happened to Amara's family, what about the rest of them? Remember how Michelle advised us against asking about her family when she first told us that they were orphans?"

"I think we should just drop this whole thing." Max stated. "Who cares if they were orphans, or that Amara and Syneon are siblings and both should be dead? Let's just worry about the tournament and what BioVolt is up to." He looked over at Kai meaningfully. "Let's just leave their pasts alone."

Kai was silent, thinking his answer over. "Alright." He agreed.

* * *

It was the late afternoon when they made it back to the hotel. They weren't surprised to see a small crowd gathered in the lobby, since the hotel was one where a few teams were staying. They were thankful and curious, though, when crowd did not try to mob them with questions and requests for autographs.

The crowd was surrounding none other than the Wingz Corp, swarming them with questions, even the three who were not participating in the tournament. They were dressed without their cloaks figuring that they would not get attention in the hotel but they were definitely wrong about that.

"Leave us alone." Amara growled, but the threat in her voice went unheard.

"Tell us how you managed to get this far?"

"What do your parents think?" All the members of Wingz Corp flinched at the question.

"Please, don't ask us-" Ari couldn't finish her request and was swamped with more questions concerning their upbringing.

"Are they proud?"

"Have they made it to any of your competitions?"

"What was your childhood like? Did you always know you want to be beybladers?"

"Did your parents encourage it?"

The BladeBreakers saw the storm coming; it was a shame the reporters did not know when to take cover.

"Shut up!"

To everyone's surprise it was Michelle who shouted this. She had a hand on Amara's shoulder to keep her from attacking any of the ignorant fools, Reno was gripping Ari's hand tightly as tears threatened at the corner of her eyes, and even Haru had a dark cast to his face.

"You worthless lowlifes. How dare you ask of our personal lives with no regard whatsoever?" She grabbed the closest reporter by the collar of his shirt. "You really want to know? Fine!" She pushed the man back into the group causing a few of them to stumble to the floor.

"Michelle, they're not worth it." Amara and pulled her hand off her shoulder and stood in front of the livid Wingz member.

"Shut up, Amara." Michelle glowered at her friend and partner. "What gives you the right to say they aren't worth it, when you yourself don't think _we're _worth it."

"Don't turn this on me!" Amara snapped back.

Reno and Haru started pushing the crowd back, asking them to leave. They cringed when they saw a few taking notes on the fight and managed to take a few notepads away.

"Amara, Michelle, stop it, please." Ari was practically begging.

By this time the BladeBreakers were helping to disperse the crowd, letting Haru and Reno stand between the two redheads.

"How many secrets have you been keeping from us, Amara? How many?" Michelle was close to shouting.

Amara's hand flinched to her side and Haru grabbed her arm thinking that she was going for her blade or something, he was surprised to realize that she wasn't. "What about you? What have you been hiding?"

"Enough!"

"Back off, Ari!" Both Amara and Michelle snapped at the Angel Wing before turning to face each other again.

Ari and Reno knew Michelle enough to grab hold of her arms to keep her from lunging at Amara who was placed in a Half Nelson courtesy of Haru to stop her from going for Michelle's throat.

"What the hell is up with you two?" Tyson's voice momentarily drew their attention away from each other.

"None of your business!" They retorted simultaneous once again and that triggered another glaring match.

"You guys won't get far in the tournament if you keep this up." Max supplied, trying to get them to see reason.

"Thanks for your concern." Michelle sneered.

Amara broke Haru's grip and swiped at his hands when he tried to hold her again. She turned on her heel and walked away, heading out of the hotel. Anyone who was nearby was quick to get out of her way. Kai watched her storm out wanting nothing more than to follow her.

"I'll follow her." Haru stated, as if he read Kai's mind, and took the same route she did.

Reno and Ari cautiously let go of Michelle's arms and she remained where she stood.

"So, ah, what happened?" Hillary tentatively asked.

"I think you saw exactly what happened." Michelle answered.

"I believe she means to ask why it happened." Rei remarked.

Michelle refused to look at him, keeping her head downcast. "It was nothing. Our patience is just… is just a little frayed. Amara and I are not really the most patient of people and we're stuck in a place we're not familiar with so that limits the places we can go to get away from each to cool off." She sighed and inhaled deeply. "Sorry you had to see that."

"I'm just sorry the reporters had to see that." Kenny said.

Michelle gave him a confused look before she realized whom exactly she had yelled at and threatened. "Oh shit!"

"And she remembers." Reno stated.

"I can see the headlines already, 'The Wingz Girls' Catfight', oh God, what a disaster." Michelle groaned. "I'm heading to the room before I can get in anymore embarrassment." She walked away from them heading for the stairs instead of the elevators.

Rei watched her leave and wondered if he should go after her or not. He gave his head a small shake, figuring Michelle would want to be left alone after that. Instead he turned to the other Wingz members with a question. "Will Amara be alright?"

"Haru went after her." Ari answered. "He'll make sure she stays out of trouble."

"Well, I think that's enough excitement for one day." Reno remarked, taking Ari's hand in his.

Ari didn't pull away, even though she kind of wanted to, but she understood what Reno wanted. A show of stability even if the very foundations were crumbling. "We're heading off for a walk around the city, even if the order is still in place, Michelle would probably worry if we didn't show up within the next twenty minutes. Could you pass the message along?"

Rei nodded. "Sure we can do that."

"Thanks." Reno said, glancing at Ari out of the corner of his eye. The two of them walked out the revolving doors, still holding hands.

"Rei, you can give Michelle the message, we'll meet you back at the room." Max remarked.

"See you later." Tyson grinned, following Max to the elevator with Hillary and Kenny in tow.

Rei started to walk away but noticed that Kai remained unmoved. "Kai?" He turned his attention the Chinese blader. "You're worried about her." Rei stated.

Kai shrugged. "She's a worthy opponent."

"Don't lie to yourself, it's more than that." Rei walked over to him and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Go look for her. See you later." Rei walked away before Kai could come up with an excuse not to, and maybe that was a good thing, with no one to rationalize his choice with, why shouldn't he act on it?

_Go find her. _Dranzer's voice filled his thoughts. _Who knows what else you might find?_

* * *

Amara ran. She did not know how far. She just ran. She did not know for how long. She just ran. She was beyond the tired ache of her limbs and the soreness of her muscles, the only pain real to her was the one that continued to crawl up her side. The pain and the telltale coldness reached her breast and it seemed as if it was choking the very air from her lungs and held her heart in such a grip that Amara knew it would be able to crush it in a blink of an eye.

Amara stumbled by the people walking down the sidewalk, paying her no heed. Reaching a shadowed alley between two stores, she staggered to the other side of a dumpster to get out of sight. She leaned against the brick wall and slid to the ground, her shirt riding up leaving her back bare to cut itself against the rough stone.

Amara was thankful for the stinging pain since it distracted her from the cold, she even swung her left fist into the metal dumpster once the sting started to go numb and the cold returned. She hugged herself tightly, drawing her slightly swelling hand to her chest.

_Amara, don't give up. _Tiamat pleaded.

_Yes, by all means, don't. _Arama's voice echoed. _I'll just bide my time, I won't have to do any work to gain control, less energy I would have to replenish. That Damian and Black Dranzer certainly did a clean job._

"Amara?"

She jerked her head up to see Haru standing in front of her. "Why did you follow me?" She asked thickly, straightening from the ball she had curled into.

Haru crouched down in front of her and placed a hand on her shoulder. "Maybe I was worried." He reached out and pried her bruised hand away from her chest. He examined at it, running his fingers gently over the bones and joints, and watching carefully when she would instinctively flinch from the pain. "You didn't break it, but it definitely is going to hurt when you try launching a blade."

Amara drew her hand out of his grasp. "I'll be fine. I'm use to pain."

"Maybe too much so."

Amara shot a glare at him. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Exactly how much pain have you been hiding?"

"What brought this up?"

"Don't think I haven't noticed." Haru remarked, his grip tightening on her shoulder.

"Noticed what?" There was a faint hint of trepidation in her voice.

"You flinch to cover your left side."

"So?" Amara turned away from him.

Haru jerked her forward, forcing her to look back at him, her eyes set in a scowl. He placed his free hand on her other shoulder pulling her closer so she had to put her legs under her in a kneel. "Amara, don't hide it. You can trust me."

Amara's green eyes widened from their glare, as she was mere inches from Haru's steel ones. She always knew the Metal Wing to be distant; he even once gave the short version what happened to him in the past to make him that way. His was trained to be nothing more than weapon; he was taught that to trust anyone or to have anyone trust him would only hurt him. Amara and Michelle did not press the subject or question where exactly he was trained, understanding that he had been hurt for a long time. But here he was, asking Amara to trust him, openly admitting that they all needed other people, despite the fact it went against the training he had basically burned into him. "H-Haru?"

Amara could have sworn that his eyes warmed at that; the steel was no longer that, but a warm grey. It only lasted a second, but she had seen it.

"Amara," Haru took a breath, "I trust you."

If Arama really wanted to take over, Amara probably would have let her, gladly even. "Who are you and what have you done with Haru?"

"Hm."

And that was a suppressed chuckle.

Amara couldn't help it, she starting laughing. It was just a quiet laugh that shook her shoulders and caused her eyes to tear, but a laugh nonetheless. Composing herself, she allowed a small smile. "I trust you too."

* * *

Kai stopped when he heard familiar voices in an alley he was about to pass by. He pressed himself against the wall, listening to the conversation.

"Don't think I haven't noticed." Haru's voice sounded.

"Noticed what?" Amara's voice followed.

"You flinch to cover your left side."

"So?"

_I guess I wasn't the only one to notice. _Kai thought. He wondered whether he should appear now or not but what was said next made him pause.

"Amara, don't hide it. You can trust me."

"H-Haru?"

Kai felt a sharp pain ran through his body followed by an icy tingle that caused him to shiver. He could not understand what was wrong, but he hated it, he wanted to do something, say something, but he was rooted to the spot.

"Amara," Pause, "I trust you."

"Who are you and what have you done with Haru?"

There was a quiet sound that was followed by Amara's laugh. Something that was barely ever heard; even if it was quiet, it was rare since it was a true carefree laugh.

Kai's hand tightened into a fist as he turned and left silently. Amara's next words followed him out of the alley and down the sidewalk and would follow him wherever he would go. "I trust you too."

_Kai? _Dranzer's voice cut through his thoughts tentatively._Are you all right?_

Kai kept walking, not paying attention to where he was going; he just wanted to get away. _I don't know, Dranzer. I just need to go somewhere._

_Kai, it might not be what you think._

_How can you know what I'm thinking when I don't even understand? _Kai shot back.

_Kai, I understand. You're hurt and you feel betrayed. _Dranzer stated soothingly. _You can't figure out why because you never really felt that way before. You care for Amara._

Kai kept walking, not noting the scenery steadily changing. _Is that really what it is? Haru asked me to see Amara, is this what he really meant, to care for her? _He looked up and realized that he ended up in the same cemetery that Max had told them about, where he found Amara, and the graves she had visited.

He meandered through the markers, glancing down at the names as he passed. Kai really did not expect to find the markers, but searching for them kept his mind off the emotions he did not understand.

"Excuse me, sir, are you looking for something?"

Kai paused and turned to face the caretaker. He was an elderly man, with dirt smudged on his brow and arms with a handful of weeds and a gardening tool in his hands. He thought for a moment before answering. "'Rafe', graves marked 'Rafe'."

"Ah, I'll take you there." He deposited the weeds in a wheelbarrow nearby and placed the tool down next to it. "This way, sir. You're the second one to ask me where that family was buried, a girl around your age. Anyway, it's a shame; no one had visited those graves since they were buried. Now I didn't know the family, but it's sad to see that they are forgotten. Well, that's what happens to most of these graves, people forget and don't take the time remember who came before or who left too soon." The man led Kai to a shaded area under the branches of an oak tree. "Here ya are. Shame that it was the whole family, whenever I come to tidy up the sites I make sure to add in a prayer for the children. If ya need anything, holler." The old man gave a teasing smirk. "Not too loud though don't want to wake the dead."

Kai watched the caretaker head back to his work before turning to the headstones, his eyes glancing over them. He knelt down in front of the one marked with Amara's name. "I guess I'm nothing more than a stranger." He remarked cryptically before getting to his feet and gazing down at the grave.

He remained in front of the graves, lost in his own thoughts, unaware of the passing of time. Glancing up at the darkening sky Kai let out a sigh. "I'll come and visit again." With that said, he left heading back to the hotel.

* * *

Ari and Reno were no longer holding hands once the hotel was out of sight. They walked next to each other in silence that went unbroken for most of the walk. They ended up at the park where Amara and Michelle had run to the day before. Finding a shaded picnic table, they sat across from each other and avoided eye contact.

Reno was the first to speak up. "I'm sorry, Ari. It was a petty thing to fight over with Michelle and it just kind of escalated into something bigger and we were all annoyed and upset since we saw that Damian was there and…" He stopped when he saw that Ari was staring down at her lap, tears falling down her cheeks. "Ari?" He wasn't sure what she would allow him to do, so he stay in his seat waiting for some kind of 'okay'.

"I-I haven't been the greatest either." She stubbornly wiped away the tears. "All the secrets and everything just got to me. I promised over and over that I would be there for the two of them that they didn't have to take everything up on their shoulders that I wasn't just there to heal the physical hurt. I just snapped at them."

"Haru said that it might be because we're losing respect for the two of them, we've gotten tired of being kept in the dark." Reno stood up and walked over to Ari's side and placed a hand on her shoulder.

To his surprise, Ari gripped his wrist and pulled him closer so that their noses were touching. "I'm sorry too." She tilted her head up and brushed her lips against his in a tentative kiss before pulling back.

"I forgive you as long as you forgive me." Reno said with a smile, his captured hand gripping her wrist in return and pulling her up to her feet.

Ari answered him with a bright smile when she brushed away the tracks the tears had left. She laced her fingers with his and did not let go until they reached the girls' room at the hotel.

* * *

Rei had given Michelle the message that Ari and Reno were going for a walk. She thanked him and did not let him say anymore. She had to admit that it might had been a little rude to shut the door in his face but she was obeying orders, she had just finished a embarrassing fight that will most likely be reported by time the six o'clock news came on, and she _wanted_ to talk with Rei. Badly. Why would that urge her to slam the door in his face? Even she did not know.

Michelle paced about the room, anxious for something, anything. She finally grabbed her blade and launcher and headed out. After every solo training session, she felt closer to achieving that second form. She vowed that she would succeed before they left for the next tournament location.

* * *

In a hotel on the other side of the city, Damian sat on his bed in the room he shared with Tala. His bed was the one that was closest to the window and allowed a nice view of the city, twenty stories down. The sky was darkening with approaching night and the city was beginning to light up.

There was crash that came from the room next to his; Ryld and Syn's room. He heard Ryld's voice through the wall, cursing at something.

Damian snorted, figuring the blader had stubbed his foot against the dresser or something like that. He wouldn't blame Ryld for doing that either, since Syn does like having the lights off and also Syn was probably humoring his inner sadistic side by moving the dresser or something in different place then Ryld had remembered it being.

The lesson that was learned; don't tease Syn, he holds grudges, no matter how petty the offense was.

_Kinda like Amara. _Damian thought idly, before giving his head a shake. _Well of course he's like Amara, they're goddamn siblings. _That had been a shock when Ryld sprung that tidbit information on him.

* * *

_Ryld and Syn had just returned from their outing. No one really had any idea where they went but Damian decided it was a good idea to ask._

_He stopped them before they entered their room. "Where were you guys?"_

_Ryld grinned. "We just went out and happened upon Amara and Michelle in one of their training sessions. It looked more like a free-for-all between the two of them."_

"_I guess they were playing their game," Damian remarked nonchalantly._

_Syn rolled his eyes and opened the door to the room and slipped inside shutting it behind him and effectively leaving Ryld locked out since he didn't bring his key along._

"_Syn!" Ryld pounded his fist against the door. "You're not playing nice! I didn't mean what I said… Okay, I lied, I meant it, but you don't have to take offense, you vindictive bastard!" He sighed and gave up, turning back to Damian, he still had his grin._

"_Do I even want to know?" Damian inquired, an eyebrow cocked up._

"_Probably not," Ryld responded._

"_But you're going to tell me anyway, aren't you?"_

_Ryld thought on that for only a second. "Yeah. I sorta made a callous remark against Amara."_

"_Why would that bother Syn?" Damian was definitely confused by that statement._

"_You really don't know or haven't noticed?" Ryld looked slightly surprised. "Syn lost his memories after an accident, a fire actually, but I think he didn't really lose them, just buried them deep down so he wouldn't have to deal with them. So my theory is, he still subconsciously worries for her even though he doesn't understand why."_

"_Still don't understand, Ryld, get to your point."_

_Ryld slapped his forehead in exasperation. "They're siblings, idiot!" He was gratified to see Damian's eyes bulge out at that. "I can't believe I had to tell you for you to get it." The easy expression on Ryld's face slipped away and Damian was left to face something that he had to admit, unnerved him. Ryld's eyes were narrowed, the easygoing light dying away to leave rust colored irises dark and menacing. "If you say anything to him about his relation with Amara, I will kill you, and do so gladly."_

_The Ryld Damian had come accustomed to came back within a blink of an eye, the friendly, approachable Ryld that didn't promise death with an air that he was use to it._

* * *

_That Ryld will be a challenge. _Black Dranzer's voice broke through Ryld' flashback. _He's good at hiding who he really is._

_No kidding. _Damian replied. _But I can't help but wonder, Ryld respects Syn a lot, so if Ryld is that menacing when he's serious, what's Syn like? He definitely is the power behind the two of them._

_If it comes to it, we can defeat them. _Black Dranzer's voice was confidant.

Damian was distracted from his answer when door was opened and Tala walked in.

The red-haired Russian had a scowl set on his features and tension ran through his lithe body. He finally looked up to see that he wasn't alone in the room and the scowl deepened.

"Do I need to ask what that look is for?" Damian inquired flippantly.

"No," Tala ground out.

"What if I want to know?"

"Too damn bad."

Damian stood up and walked over to his partner. "Do I need to turn you in for insubordination?" Tala scoffed in response and Damian continued. "I mean I would, but you have to agree that it won't be as bad for you as it would be for, say your friends, back at the Abbey."

Tala's fist tightened and he wanted to do nothing more than lash out at the cocky blader in front of him.

"Boris said that he would take great pleasure in teaching you through them about obeying orders." Damian went on, knowing that Tala was steadily growing angrier by each word that came from his mouth. "What happened, Tala? You used to follow orders so well, gladly even."

"Shut up." Tala said lowly.

Damian smirked. He loved toying with Tala, knowing full well that Tala would only offer verbal defiance since the well being of his teammates was at stake. "Don't get me wrong, I respect your position in this."

"I highly doubt that." Tala snarled.

"You fear for their safety but at the same time you'll do all you can to defy us, which isn't much. But, I'm warning you, do anything to jeopardize our position in the tournament, it won't just be Boris that you have to worry about. Don't deny it, I know that the idea has been going through your head ever since you saw your old friend Kai today."

"He's not my friend." Tala's head dropped and his shoulders slumped, openly admitting defeat in this round.

The ringing of a phone drew Damian's attention and he walked over to the bedside desk and picked up the cell phone. Flipping it open, he brought it up to his ear. "Damian." He answered.

"Damian, its Syn."

"Yeah, what's up?"

"Ryld got the call. He'll be making his move when he finds the right opening."

"Right." Damian was about to hang up when he decided to ask, "Why couldn't you just walk over and tell me this?"

"Who says I'm even in the hotel right now?" Syn hung up before Damian could make any remark.

Damian closed the phone and placed back on the desk. Sitting down on the bed he could not help but wonder who exactly Ryld's informant is. He swung his legs up onto the bed, and laid back. He heard the bathroom door slam shut and closed his eyes.

* * *

Things with the Wingz Corp had gotten a little better at least. Reno and Ari had made up, Ari and Michelle were still okay around each other but there were a few tense moments, Michelle and Reno had yet to talk, Amara and Haru were fine, Haru was normal to everyone else, and Amara managed to keep civil tones with the rest of them.

Reaching the stadium, Amara and Michelle were instantly swamped with questions, most of them regarding the argument they had the day before which had been telecast over all the major news stations. On the way in, Amara stuck close to Haru, keeping him on her left, as they tried to break away from the crowd.

They reached the place where only teams and mechanics could enter and there the group split, Amara and Michelle walking down the long hall, while Ari, Reno, and Haru headed for their seats.

"Amara?" Michelle finally spoke up as they headed to their locker room.

"Hm?"

"I'm not going to apologize." Michelle stated.

"I didn't expect you to." Amara replied.

"I've done more than enough apologizing lately," Michelle continued as if Amara had not said anything, "and truthfully, I don't feel at all sorry for my actions. The only thing I feel any remorse about is that the media had to be present for the fight last night and of course publish it, but I feel that I have every right to start that fight."

"Maybe…" Amara cut in, drawing Michelle's attention to her. "Maybe it would have been better if they allowed us to finish that fight."

Michelle blinked away the shock that had spread on her face. She allowed a small smile at that. "Perhaps another time." Amara nodded her agreement and the two went on their way without another word.

* * *

A/N: "Well, it's been quite a long wait, hasn't it? Trust me I have a good reason and that reason here's to stay. If you're really that curious to know send me a PM and I'll tell you. Anyway, about this chapter, it's quite long and I feel like I should apologize for that. Its because there wasn't a good place to stop and I want to get back into the tournament. I feel like sometimes I have too much filler stuff but in a way its necessary.

If you think chapters are too long, tell me and I'll go by majority whether or not to shorten the chapters.

What else is there to say? Umm... be warned that it might be a long while before I'll update again, it just depends on what happens. Sorry about mistakes and any hazy areas. If you have questions or suggestions, feel free to make them. Constructive criticism is welcomed. See you when I post again, don't worry, I have not given up on this!

Death


End file.
